Clash of the Elements Part 3: Reality's Game
by mewmaster93
Summary: A year after the battles against the forces of darkness, Plit has enjoyed an era of peace. But the arrival of someone both new yet familiar signals the advent of a new threat, one that will twist the very fabric of the world. Can this new protagonist hope to survive this game, or will Plit forever fall into the hands of this unknown being?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:  
**

And here we are, back again with another part of the story. That was a rather long week if I do say so myself, but I did manage to get a few chapters done for this story beforehand. The same deal with uploads will apply here, with one chapter being put up once every two to three days. I promise that this schedule will be maintained unless I get ill or are otherwise away from my computer for long periods of time.

Also, as before, I highly suggest reading the others Parts (What-Ifs optional) to get a better grasp at some of the references and other comments used during the narration. So take these lines below and put them after the "/" one the main page of this site, OR, just click on my name and find the stories there.

s/7538101/1/Clash_of_the_Elements_Part_1_A_Flame_Reborn

s/7996979/1/Clash_of_the_Elements_Movie_1_Rebirth_of_Subspace

s/8061452/1/CotE_Part_2_Judgment_of_the_Dark_King

Without further ado, it is time to BEGIN!

* * *

_I am in pain. I can barely feel my arms and legs, and my shut eyelids conceal from me the destruction I can hear being caused all around. I try to creak them open, groaning lightly while letting some air through my nostrils to confirm that my lungs can still function. A violent cough soon follows the likes of which this body of mine had never felt before, and it is then that I realize how hard it is for me to breathe. Even with my oxygen intake diminished, I work hard to force my eyelids open, hoping to catch a glimpse of the atmosphere and determine just why I am on my back. But my vision has become blurred, and all I can see is a large, black creature roaring in front of me, its wings being the most prevalent part of its behemoth body._

_With its violent screech comes an eruption of the sky, the ensuing cascade of thunderbolts splitting apart the surface of a planet below. I twist my head to the left, an amber-bladed sword laying cracked in half by my side with the flames having died out not very long ago. My vision becomes somewhat clearer by this point, and I unconsciously turn to the beast, staring into its bleak, dark red dragon-like eyes as it opens its mouth up wide and bears its three rows of fanged teeth at me, acid saliva dripping from its prehensile tongue as the beast's appetite grows ever-stronger._

_I blink once, the scene changing immediately to a black void. I am now laying on a jagged, rectangular scale that is set on top of a golden statue of a goddess of indescribable beauty. There are two other scales on both sides of my lying figure, one filled with hardened light while the other starts to overflow with darkness and threatening to overtake the weight brought on by the light. The right scale is pulled downward, and as it lowers the scale I am on begins to sink into the statue, which cracks from the pressure brought on from the unbalanced weight on both sides._

_I can hear each crack being formed, the sounds growing louder as they crawl towards the top of the statue. I try to keep my eyelids open, but my weakened spirit and body prevents my effort from being fulfilled. With my heart slowing its beat, I am taken entirely off-guard when the statue shatters into pieces and gravity drags both me and all of the scale's attachments towards the endless abyss below. The pace of my heartbeat quickens, my limbs rising into the air as I plummet even further into the darkness. At this point I can't breathe, and I can feel my soul departing from my fleshy shell as one last heartbeat pounds against my chest with the force of a bomb's detonation…_

And like that, the nightmare I had ends, my body waking up in a cold sweat as I raise the upper part up off the soft comfort of my bed and very nearly smash the back of my head against the board behind me. My eyes are widened as I find that the edge of my thin, ivory sheet has not only been clenched tightly in my right hand, but has also found itself pressed against the center of my bare chest. My eyes try to provide some vision in the darkness of my open room, but without moonlight poking through the creaked open blinds this proves to be rather difficult at first. I end up gazing at the clock on the book shelves in front of me, the glowing-red numbers saying to me that the time was now "4:58 AM".

After taking a few moments to stop my unsteady breathing I let go of the sheet in my hand and spread the fingers apart, placing them along with the palm against my chest to see and wait for my rapid heartbeat to die down. Each breath I take helps in this endeavor, and in the span of a minute I am finally able to relax with a sigh of relief as my heart has gone back to normal. I close my eyelids, bring my arms out to the side so that they will drape off the edges of the mattress as I fall back head-first onto the dark-red pillows that are sprawled out below.

I look up towards my pearl white ceiling, the quiet chirping of crickets outside filling my ears as I recall the events of my nightmare. I have been witnessing them once every three days now over the last month, and for the life of me I cannot even begin to comprehend the meaning behind their existence. But there had to be some significance to the nightmare, otherwise I wouldn't be seeing it so often as I slumber. However, once again my mind was not ready to start contemplating the details and discern a meaning from them, and I began to shut my eyelids to fall back to sleep in hopes that when I wake up, the day will prove itself willing to provide an answer to my disconcerting thoughts…

**Clash of the Elements Part 3: Reality's Game**

**Chapter 1: Gateway to a New Adventure**

After I inevitably fell back to sleep, I was never again plagued by the nightmare that had thrust me out of my slumber. I managed to make it through the remaining hours of my scheduled rest with the occasional, peaceful snore emerging from my face, and when the programmed time came the alarm went over. The sudden buzz ringing through my eardrums was enough to jolt my eyelids open, and though my body ached somewhat I knew that I would swiftly be able to adjust as I moved about the house. My body, which had been turned on its side with my arms laying adjacent to my face, flips on its backside before I lift my upper portion straight up and raise my arms up high and let out a zealous yawn.

With a quiet crack coming from my elbow bones, I stretch my right arm out and use the opposite hand on my elbow to straighten the limb out, applying a bit of pressure to get the blood flowing at a somewhat faster pace. I then perform the same actions to my left arm, looking over to my clock as it continues to ring. As I was still performing my wake-up routine, I pointed my right pointer finger at the clock and shot a harmless bolt of electricity at it to shut it off. After relishing in the silence that had been brought on by my well-timed action, I took in some of the serene air through my nostrils and lifted my head up high before letting out a relaxed breath and smacking my dehydrated lips and realizing just how thirsty I truly was.

Oh yeah, you are probably wondering why I can use electricity, right? Well you see, I am what is known as an Elemental Overlord, a mighty being who has gained the ability to use the elements of Grass, Water, Sky, Electricity, Earth, Ice and Fire in harmony with one another. I know from the words "mighty being" you are probably already imagining a man with an Olympian-like build with a pearly smile and an overwhelming amount of charisma…Well I hate to burst your bubble, but one of those things I most certainly do not have. My name is Mewmaster, and I know what you are probably thinking, "Oh wait a second, you have the same name as the author who wrote this story, so you are probably a Creator's Pet, Mary Sue, or some other self-insert term that you'd find on TvTropes." But honestly, I just want to get it out of the way right now that this is the first chapter that I've been introduced, and that my personality has not really been set in stone yet. So just keep reading for now, and if for some reason you keep having your doubts about me, then that is perfectly fine. Anyways, no need to keep derailing the story with this blatant breaking of the fourth wall, so let me pull the train back on track so we can continue on.

So as I was saying, I may have a pearly smile and an overwhelming amount of charisma, but my physique really isn't much to look at as of now. As a thirteen year old boy, I surprisingly don't have any fat built up in my stomach region thanks to my consistent workouts, but at the same time I haven't gotten to the point in my life where I can claim to have rock-hard abs. For now, I am perfectly fine though with the firm muscles I do have near my gut. As I flex my right arm my bicep bulges outward, and a quick poke with one of my left fingers causes the skin to budge a tiny bit. My lips curl into a frown, and a sigh emerges through my lips as I let my arm sink down against the side of my body.

It is not that I am trying to get stronger through basic workouts, as the Elemental Overlord such things as sit-ups and mountain climbing isn't going to affect my power level, but for someone who can lift about forty tons I would rather my body reflect the level of strength of which my body can exert. Anyways, with my check-up finished I turn my legs so they emerge from the sheet, leaping energetically off the bed and keeping my strength lowered so I don't crack the floor when I land on the cotton, aquamarine rug. I take another look at my body, the only clothes on me being a pair of black socks and some underwear with a grey stripe around the waist.

It had become a habit of mine recently to go to bed with such limited amount of clothing. Not like it really mattered, since I was all alone in this household, my parents having perished in a car accident many years ago. Ever since then I've had to learn to fend for myself, from teaching myself how to cook to bringing myself to read history novels and other forms of literature. Though this doesn't mean I'm alone in my life. I have a few friends out there who are strong enough to keep up with me and thus help me further my skills as an Elemental Overlord. A couple of them, Sly and Kai, met me a year or so back as I was laying out in the yard to get some rays and instead ended up dozing off for hours on end.

As of recent days I've been anticipating a picnic we will be having a couple of weeks from now, but at the same time I have refused to let this time of peace on Earth keep me from slipping into a period of absolute laziness, hence why I devised a schedule to keep the blood flowing day by day. First things first, I had to get dressed. I moved towards the oakwood dresser drawers that stood close to the arched doorway, opening the second to last one from the top to reveal a cache of different colored shirts buried within its hollow confinement. I was feeling in a rather hot-blooded mood today, so I quickly plucked out a black t-shirt from below the first row of shirts and shut the drawer lightly.

Hanging the bottom of the shirt above my head, I pushed my arms against the sides to spread it apart as I moved them to the sleeves. Once my hands slipped out I started to poke my hair through the collar. The hairstyle I have is kind of weird. If I could briefly describe it, I would say it looked as though parts of it have been combed forward and kept in place with hair gel to form three curves in front of my right eye, and a single, larger curl right above my nose. None of these changes to my light-brown hair affected my field of vision, and surprisingly enough not matter how hard I try my hair style stays the same. Not that I hate the look mind you, it is just rather weird at times to have my hair compared to that of a character from an anime, that's all.

Either way, once I had gotten my shirt on I proceeded towards the drawer where my jeans were at, which rested at the very bottom of this five-tiered structure. I had to kneel down to pull the drawer back, and upon doing so I saw my ten pairs of navy-blue colored pants waiting for me to put one of them on. Since all of them were the same size and shape, my decision was swift and I picked the top-most one to put on. After shutting the drawer with one hand I stand back up, lifting my left leg up and slipping it into the pant leg of the jeans. My right one followed not far behind after my foot touched the ground, and as I snapped the waist portion against the skin above my underwear I noticed something odd about the bottom of the jeans in comparison to my leg.

The distance between the pant leg and the top of my sock had increased by a couple centimeters since the last time I noticed, and as I scratched the back of my head with the pointer and middle fingers of my right hand I sighed as I came to a revelation that it'll only be a matter of time before I'll have to go shopping for bigger sized clothes. As of now I was currently 5'4", having grown a total of two inches within the last five months. Though this was something to be expected, since at my age I was starting to go through the effects of puberty.

Still, the thought of growing ever-taller was a pleasing concept to me, for as I held my hands together below my chin I looked up towards the ceiling and started daydreaming about a day in the future where I had become really tall and well-built, with a swarm of curvy, lustful women rubbing their fingers against my pecs and biceps. Of course, I quickly snapped out of that vision when I came to realize that I was getting way too ahead of myself, and shook my head rapidly to disperse those thoughts from my mind. Hey, you really can't blame me here though, you can only imagine the amount of hormones flowing through my pubescent body at this very moment…

Either way, as I turned to the mirror to check out my ensemble, I pointed towards the flame insignia on the chest portion of my shirt and with my sapphire eyes gleaming at the reflective surface I curl my lips into a brimming smile and chuckle innocently to myself, saying to as I turn towards the door and begin to walk out, "Hey, at least puberty won't be too bad for me. If I get any warts or blemishes, I can just use my powers to freeze them right off!" As pleasant, non-perverted thoughts appeared continuously in my mind, I walked slowly through the hallway towards the door that would lead me to the kitchen, where I would make my balanced, yet rather clichéd breakfast to start my day off.

Before I entered, I casually glanced towards the twenty-inch screen T.V. that stood in front of a green leather love seat and brandished my left pointer finger out to the side to turn it on with a jolt of electricity. To be honest, I had lost the remote to the T.V. quite some time ago, but really, when you have a convenient alternative like I do, who really cares about looking? Making my way towards the fridge, I began to hear the morning news echoing in the background. _"Tragedy struck in the southern United States today as the Class 2 Hurricane Éclair struck overnight, most citizens were evacuated thanks to precautions implemented by the President, but-"_ As I pulled the carton of eggs out of the fridge, I hung my head low and slanted my eyelids in disappointment as I heard the news continue to speak of the tragedy.

When I haven't been training to better myself or working out to build up my physique, I've sometimes used my powers to sense when natural disasters are about to occur and then travel to the locations and prevent them from happening. In the world we live in today, the death toll has been lessened immensely from things such as earthquakes and tornadoes, but the world is still a long ways off from preventing property and structural damage. Though 99.8% of the population survived the hurricane, it would takes weeks, even months for the survivors to rebuild the homes that they had lost, and even then many of their possessions will be found either damaged to gone, and the memories contained within them will never be replaced.

As I started to warm the oven up to cook, I started to think about this household that I had inherited upon my parent's death, relating its existence to the tragedy that I was thinking about just a moment ago. After all, this place is pretty much one gigantic memento for me, and if anything were to ever happen to it I could easily imagine how I would react to it all. Maybe that's why I go out and defy the natural order of things, because even though I have not lost this precious possession of mine, the fact that I have thought about the possibility of something happening has given me the ability empathize with the people and thus drives me to prevent those tragedies from ever unfolding.

As the cracked eggs splattered onto the pan's surface, I considered it extremely unfortunate that I was unable to do anything about the Hurricane because I was asleep at the time, but shook my head as I reminded myself, "I can't blame myself for this. After all, I've already come to realize that in life you can't stop everything bad from happening…Some things are going to slip through the protection you try to provide for the innocent, and looming on it isn't going to make things any better." After that brief moment of reassurance I continued to cook my breakfast, whistling a jolly melody to myself as I began to swirl the egg whites and yolk together.

It takes a good seven minutes in total, but after inserting some spices my eggs are fully cooked and I set them on the plate behind me with the help of an iron spatula. Next up is the toast, which I created by taking two slices of bread and using a bit of heat protruding from my hands to bake them until they are a crispy light-brown color on both sides. The two somewhat smoking pieces are laid flat beside the eggs, and as I pick up the plate I once again move towards the fridge. Along the way I murmur to myself, "What should I drink today…Apple or Orange…" I was bringing a question to mind as to what juice I should take out for breakfast.

You see, to save money and time on buying frozen pulp and bottled juices from the store, I've used my nature based powers to grow the necessary fruit trees in the backyard, supplying them with a steady supply of water until I can pluck them and use them to make the juice and store them in consumer bottles. As I pause before the door I rest the bottom of my plate against the palm of my left hand and use the adjacent limb to pull open the door, edging my body around as it opens in order to avoid getting hit. Once it is done I look at both rows of bottles on the top shelf, and decide after heavy consideration to take the orange juice. As I pull it out with my free hand, I keep my food plate balanced, and once I am standing up straight I swing my hip out to the side in order to push the door closed, the slam echoing in my eardrums as I leave the room.

I head out towards the love seat, staring at the T.V. as the commercials are going at the moment. After curving around the arm of the furniture I extend my arms out and set my plate and bottle down, laying my bottom on the crack between both cushions as an advertisement about life insurance plays for about the seventh time in the last twenty-four hours. Sighing at how annoying and repetitive this commercial was, I chose to bear through it until the weather report came on, and I picked up the toast in front of me only to realize that something was missing with my set ensemble.

With an embarrassed flush of the cheeks I quickly ran back into the kitchen and grabbed a fork for my eggs, vaulting over the back of the love seat on my return trip and slamming my butt down just in time for the weather report to come on. I began to chew my toast, the grain infused crust brushing against my tongue so my saliva can soften it and thus make it easier to digest. As I heard the forecaster speak in her work-casual, feminine tone of voice, I was pleased to notice that it would be sunny in the afternoon once the fog had passed. With those conditions, today would be a perfect time for me to go climb the mountains without worrying about my vision becoming obscured.

The first piece of toast is downed in a couple of minutes, the pleasurable flavors of the toasted wheat center being swiftly drowned out by a gush of orange juice that goes through my throat with a light swallow. After that I looked at the eggs, hesitantly grabbing my fork and poking through a small portion of it with the prongs before I lift it gently towards my lips. I had decided to try something different today, and added a pinch of Cheyenne to the eggs to give it a little bite. However, the last time I tried this my mouth was in pain and my eyes became waterfalls for nearly an hour.

Blaming that incident my as-of-then underdeveloped taste buds, I figured that with my possibly matured taste buds I should be perfectly fine with taking this plunge. So I opened my lips up wide, saying to myself "Well…Bottoms up", and moved the fork into my mouth. At first nothing happened as I pulled the utensil out and let the eggs fall onto my tongue. The mushy combination of yolk and whites is chewed by my upper and lower teeth, pieces of it moving and getting stuck between the teeth much to my annoyance. But even with that, the eggs tasted good. In fact, if I could compare them to something, I would say that it was like making liquid gold edible and putting it into you mouth. As I continued to chew the eggs' flavor became more prominent, my eyes glazing over as I quietly went "Mmmm…" and pulled my head back.

At that point I seriously began to wonder just why I was putting so much effort into narrating a description of a single bite of eggs, but by then what I had wished wouldn't come…Well, did come. My eyelids are thrust open, my eyes starting to water as my facial expression freezes and I can the temperature in my head rising as the eggs are unconsciously swallowed down my throat. Looking down at the reflective surface of the table as I curled my lips back into my mouth, I can see the redness in my cheeks becoming ever darker as the heat also continues to rise inside of me. With my body undergoing a severe amount of pain, I decided to calmly react to this situation in the most mature manner possible. "HOLY FU-"

Needless to say, after an hour of using the rest of my Orange Juice, downing a gallon of water, brushing my teeth, using mouthwash, and stuffing a protein bar into my mouth and consuming it after dumping the rest of the eggs into the trash I swore to myself to never, EVER again touch spicy powders, condiments, or food. My face was a sweaty mess after those events unfolded, and a swipe of the hand across the forehead only served to stall the drops as I made my way to the front door of the house. My plan was to go outside and take in some of the cold, mountain air while I still could in order to get my temperature down to a more normal level. "You know…You would think that being the Elemental Overlord would give me an immunity to high temperatures both external AND internal."

After making a joke to lighten my rather panicked mood, I let out an innocent giggle and wrap my fingers around the doorknob, twisting it to the left in order to pull the lock back and thus allowing me to swing it open to give myself freedom from my constricted environment. Peering outside I saw a thin layer of fog was still set in the area. As I exited the house and shut the door behind me I lifted my head up and saw a glowing circle hanging precariously past the fog. It was easy to see that it was the sun, and its presence signified that it wouldn't be long before that which conceals would be no more.

To the right of me was the face of a large cliff side, and as I tried to look up to see the top a memory from the past makes its way to the surface of my mind. I remembered the day where my life changed forever, when a wild billy goat knocked me off a mountain top and caused me to land on the most unexpected person. You might call me crazy for saying this, but on that day I met the legendary hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario. You can only imagine the surprise I felt after I realized that the once-thought to be fictional character was in my presence, and the embarrassment I expressed as I helped him get back on his feet.

"Yep, it was right about here that we met…" I mutter nostalgically to myself as I turn my head to look at the patch of grass where he once laid, my nostrils sniffing in the fresh air as a smile continues to be present on my face. "Good times, good times…" When it came down to it though I realized that I missed his presence. After the journey that resulted in me becoming the Elemental Overlord, I decided to come back to Earth so anyone who wished to challenge me wouldn't end up involving the citizens of Plit during out battles. It was a sad departure on both sides, and one that I have sometimes wished I could take back just to see their smiling faces again.

"I wonder how they are doing as of now?" I thought to myself as I began to walk towards the spot where the portal that took me to their planet once stood. I slanted my eyelids upward, grinning as a light "Heh" emerges from my mouth. "I bet Bowser has kidnapped Peach for the twentieth time by now." In the midst of my remembrance I had completely forgotten about my previous dilemma. Not like it mattered anyways, since the cool breeze dipping down the mountainside had cured me of my high temperature. With all my thoughts focused on my friends, I thought about changing my workout schedule just for this day. "You know, perhaps I'll go see if Kai is busy…We could spar, go out to lunch, check on Sly's condition and-"

As I turned around and started talking to myself without end, I was suddenly interrupted by a flash of light filling the sky, a medium breeze blowing leaves off of the nearby trees and sending them into my field of vision. Having now been alerted of some sort of phenomena occurring behind me, I twisted my body around and widened my eyes in utter surprise as I saw what floated before me. It was a swirling, multicolored portal, one that instantly clicked in sync with my recent recollection of the past and in turn changing my surprised expression to one of happiness as I continued to look at it. "Well how about that?"

My legs began to move on their own towards the portal, my memories guiding me to it in hopes that the place I wish to see was on the other side. However, I forced myself to a halt as something quickly came to mind. "Wait a second…" I said in a sharp tone of voice. It was too much of a coincidence for this portal, especially THIS one, to have appeared after I thought about it. Who is to say it led to Plit? "Perhaps it is a trap set by a hostile group of aliens that have a grudge against the Elemental Overlord for unknown reasons…" After presenting a theory to this solution I closed my eyelids, turned my head to the side, and waved my right hand downward after extending my arm and said, "Naaaaah".

After returning my face to its normal position I remarked on my theory in a joking manner by saying with a chuckle following after it, "Besides, I think it is too soon in my life for me to be combating an alien race." Once I was done dabbling in a bit of light humor, I took something else into consideration about the portal's existence. Perhaps this wasn't a trap, maybe someone was listening to my wishes and created this portal to satisfy my desire. Maybe, just maybe, this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see my friends again and check up on how they are doing. For me to pass this opportunity up in spite of the possible risks would be a rather foolish move on my end, and that last thought was all it took for me to make my final decision.

I stepped into the portal, never once averting my gaze away from it as I left the Earth behind me and entered the cross-dimensional tunnel that would lead me to Plit. Along the way I saw various scenes unfolding in the spiraling rift. Each picture portrayed a different event in the Mario universe's existence, and with how short my journey ended up being I had no time to describe every one of them. In a matter of seconds a pure white hole filled with light showed me the exit way, and my body was pulled towards it without my influence to guide it. In a nanosecond I was consumed, my vision fading for a moment as I crossed through to the other side.

As certain as I was of my arrival, I was taken completely off-guard when my feet failed to land on a solid platform and my body instead fell forward onto the ground with a mighty thud. Needless to say, the meeting between my face and the solid metal floor was painful, and my head was ringing for an extended period of time before I was finally able to regain control of my hands and push myself up. As I kneeled against the cold steel I laid my palms down, which sent a chill up my spine as I looked around to get a better grasp on my current environment. The eight-sided gateway shut down behind me, cutting off most of the light in the room and making it difficult for me to see.

All I was able to make out was a couple of barren, hard-steel tables, and a series of scientific equipment laid out on a lone shelf on the right side of the room. I turned my head around, confirming the existence of a gigantic, dark-blue computer screen and the advanced looking keyboard resting below it. There was no chair in front of it, in fact there wasn't really any furniture in sight. This puzzled me, and for a brief moment I believed that something had happened to the planet when there were no noises entering through my ears during the time I spent on the ground.

But as I lifted my body up straight and stood on both feet I looked towards the staircase at the opposite end of the room and saw a hint of sunlight peering through from the top. "Thank heavens…If the planet had been devastated, then the skies would probably have become heavy with ash clouds caused by the fires of destruction." Of course, that didn't necessarily mean anything. The being in question might not have damaged the planet itself and instead wiped out the populace without touching anything else. As I started to walk towards the stairs to find some confirmation that I was wrong, I folded my arms behind my head and kept my ears focused.

It was once I reached the bottom that I started to hear something. There was a commotion going on outside, and a bunch of beings with familiar, high-pitched voices were communicating to one another. It was with those noises that I knew that the planet was still safe, and as I grinned from ear to ear I began to climb up the stairs, lowering and swinging my arms back and forth as I edged closer to the top. I was excited to see what awaited me in Toad Town, the place where I had originally started my greatest journey, and as I neared the sunlight-filled doorway I relished in the thought of perhaps another great journey starting here today. With my lips sealed together into a smile I raised my head up high and said in an innocent, overzealous tone, "It really feels good to be back…"

_Next Time: A Stranger appears? I do believe I should take back what I said about the aliens_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Monument and a Visitor**

As I emerged out into the fresh air of the town, the sun gleamed straight into my eyes, the swift rise of my right arm blocking the rays from penetrating my irises until I could adjust to the sudden influx of light. Once I lowered my limb I looked up into the sky, a series of clouds slowly blowing in to cover the sun, but save for those few obstructions the sky was clear. It took but a few moments for me to get used to the change of atmosphere, but when I was done I took full satisfaction in taking a deep breath in through my nostrils and sighing in such a way that my relaxation could be seen as a sign of fulfillment. But as I lowered my head and let my arms sink beside my hips, the mushroom-headed citizens called Toads turned their heads and stared at me.

Some of them looked at me with obvious confusion because of my sudden appearance out of E. Gadd's assumedly abandoned laboratory, others looked at me with fear because to them I was an unfamiliar figure, and a couple Toads leaned their heads and covered their mouths with one of their hands, pondering something in their heads that I could only gander as to what it may be. "Umm…Hello." I said in a nervous yet subdued tone of voice, lifting my right hand up and waving it twice as a sign of my good-will. It didn't really matter though, cause none of them greeted me and instead returned to their usual business as if I wasn't even there.

After keeping my pose with only my eyes moving to scan the environment, I lowered my raised limb and clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth, letting out a short whistle and saying to myself, "Huh, a rather disappointing welcome…Guess none of these guys were in the area when I became the Elemental Overlord." As I folded my arms and curled my lips out of concern for what the Toad's opinions were of my presence, I turned my head to the left and stared towards the south-eastern part of town. Having remembered the layout of the area even after all this time, I decided that there was only one thing for me to do at the moment.

Once I returned my facial expression back to normal I turned my body to be in alignment with where my head was pointed at, and after tucking my hands into my pants pockets I shrugged my shoulders and said with a tone of reassurance, "I'll just head to Mario's house. If he is around then hopefully he'll recognize me and we can catch up." I laughed at my second sentence, the reason for my reaction being that I was surprised at myself for seriously having doubts that MARIO of all people would forget the face of an old acquaintance/ally. Even after a year of aging, his face's shape hasn't really changed much.

As I started to walk through the town with my arms swaying by my sides, I turned my head back to look at E. Gadd's lab, the one thing on my mind as I lowered my eyelids was of the curiosity I had towards the elderly Professor's non-existence inside of the building. "Actually, come to think about it…Gadd was the only one who knew how to operate the Stargadd. So if he isn't around…Then what caused it to activate?" After thought that question I shook my head as I found it incredibly hard to believe that once again I was worrying about showing concern over the portal's coincidental appearance.

"Come on Mew, focus on the positive, don't accentuate the negative…" After murmuring to myself, much to the suspicion of the nearby Toads who couldn't quite make out what I was saying, I decided to lighten my doubtful mind by joking to myself about the name of E. Gadd's device. On Earth, there was an old show that had a similar device called the "Stargate", and though I had never gotten the chance to watch it before I found it humorous that without him probably even knowing it he was plagiarizing a copyrighted Earth property. Then again, as I recall he ended up doing the same thing with his portable multi-functional device that he chose to name the "iGadd".

Even though he never followed us around during our journey, E. Gadd always offered his support whenever we went back to his lab to get the location of the next Elemental Stone's temple. He was dedicated to his job of translating the tablet, and he was always kind and jolly. Without even realizing it, I ended up doing an impersonation of his laugh, which was so spot-on that everyone around me shifted their heads around rapidly in hopes of seeing if the Professor was in the area. Either way, as I swerved my body to the left to make my way towards the center of town I folded my arms in front of my chest and reared my head back to stare up towards the sky, a patch of clouds taking the form of the swirly hair on E. Gadd's head with a quick wave of my right hand. "If I can get any information about his location, I'll make sure to go visit him. He'll probably be happy to see me after all this time."

I continued to advance to the center of town, when suddenly a flash of light caught me off-guard, my body moving forward on its own as I shut my eyelids up tight and raised my arm for protection. After slowing myself down a bit I creaked my eyelids open and slowly moved my arm away as I felt that the light wouldn't blind me a second time. In the four-way intersection that leads to Peach's Castle, the second shopping area, Koopa Road, and the place I just came from, I saw a gigantic, golden statue casting a shadow upon the ground whose head reached the tip of my shoes.

The statue was of a rather familiar looking person, whose age was probably about a year younger than my own based on the features and figure I saw. The pose represented had the person holding a curved sword in their right hand with their left hand crossed in front of their neck with their body swaying in the direction of the hand that held the sword. With the material that the statue was composed of, it was impossible for me to see the details in the face that well, but the hair was crafted so it looked as though it was moving about in a mid-summers breeze.

I thought that there was something familiar about the person, so I looked down to see if there was a plate that revealed the figure's name, and upon doing so I kneeled to get a better look at it. There was some letters etched into the plate, and my eyes first moved towards the bottom, which said "The young, brave Elemental Overlord". I smiled at the description, cause that revealed to me that the statue was of me, and that the people of this town probably made it to commemorate my short time on the planet. But as I looked up my eyelids slanted in confusion as I peered towards another set of words that rested below the top edge of the plate.

"In memory of…Alex…Whi…ter…" As I tried to mutter the name out my head started to feel fuzzy, as I unconsciously leaned my head forward and pressed my hands against the sides. Hundreds of memories began pouring in, none of which I could…I could recall…I sensed something amiss in my…In my mind as my vision of those events started to become blurred I saw the eyes of…The eyes of…The eyes of…A mysterious being covered in darkness…Who looked…Who looked to be my age…My age…My…My…My…My…...

I wondered why my eyelids were closed, and why my head was bent down as I opened them up. After lifting my head up slightly I looked at the plate that was in front of me, seeing the only words visible on there that said "The young, brave Elemental Overlord." As I got back on my feet with my eyelids blinking in confusion, I stared at the statue I noticed the difference between hairstyles. "Oh yeah, I used to have my hair down, I forgot all about that…" I said, deep down sensing that there was something wrong with my comment as I let out a forced, nostalgic sigh and folded my arms in front of my face.

I was unaware of the other Toad's stares towards me, but I could hear footsteps approaching me from the left side of my body. As I was a little tense at the time, I quickly shifted my body to the left and raised my fists in case the person wanted a scuffle. All it turned out to be in the end was a Toad, who stopped in place with their shoes grinding against the flakes of dirt below their feet while they raised their left hand up beside their face and their right hand curled into a fist. He was older than the rest of the citizens, as evidence by his long, curved grey beard and the wrinkles above his eyelids. Also, unlike the others he wore a red, almost turban-like cap with gold stretching from the back to the front, where they curl up and touch one another in the center. His robe is rather big for one of his size, the bottom dragging behind him while the front covers his feet.

Though I had never met him directly before now, I knew who this person was, and just why I had no reason to fear his presence. He was the Master, a disciplined martial artist who ran his own Dojo here in town. He had two disciples, a green-shelled Buzzy Beetle by the name of Chan and a blue-cloaked Duplighost by the name of Lee. As I innocently chuckled at the reference to two famous karate users from my world, I looked around and noticed that the two students in question were not at the Master's side, which caused me to turn my head in bewilderment as I folded my arms in front of my chest and waited for the elderly Toad to lower his defensive stance.

The Master took his hands and folded them into his chest, nodding once and saying to me in an apologetic tone, "Forgive me, I had never seen you before, so when you turned to me I thought you were hostile." After he spoke the elderly Toad walked over to me, turning his body to face the statue and looking up at the person's face, saying to me without looking, "So what brings you to Toad Town? We don't exactly get too many humans around these parts…" It was an innocuous question, and as I tilted my head to look at my inquirer I said in response, "I came here from Earth via E. Gadd's Stargadd. I was gonna visit my old friend Mario and see how he was doing."

"Oh?" The Master found interest in my reason, perking his hairy eyebrows upward as he let out a senile sounding chuckle and turned his head to take another look at me. "So you are from Earth…And just how do you know our renowned hero?" As he asked another question he smiled and stared into my eyes as they perked up out of confusion, turning to look back at the statue as he awaited my answer. "We went on a journey about a year or so ago to find the seven Elemental Stones and turn the Chosen One, that's me, into the next Elemental Overlord."

The elderly Toad was silent for a few moments, and once he turned his head to look into my eyes once more I stood completely still. I didn't flinch because I felt that his glare was meant to question the sincerity of my response, and I honestly couldn't blame him for going about things this way. After all, the statue and myself looked completely different from each other due to age, and he probably determined that a firm stand against his own doubts would be the only way to confirm the legitimacy of my words. After a few tense seconds of absolute silence, the Master turned back towards the statue and refused to acknowledge my existence for a moment.

"So you are, so you are…My mistake." Once again apologizing for his erroneous behavior, the Master placed his right hand on his chin and began to rub it. I could tell that he was deep in thought, and figured it would be rather rude to interrupt him. So with nothing better to do I decided to wait for him to finish. However, that time came faster than expected as he turned his entire body towards me and said with a louder, yet still calm tone of voice, "I must admit, it was hard to recognize you at first, since you have changed your hair since the time this statue was made."

"Yep…" I am say with a joyous sigh following. "But hey, at least my face is still as young and pretty as it was back then, so I'm glad for that." I followed-up with this sentence as a bit of light humor, but the Master turned his head towards me and raised one eyebrow as if he was disappointed by my choice of words. Feeling his cold glare piercing me from the side, I turned out and nervously waved my hands in front of my chest. "N-Not that I am vain about my appearance mind you…" Though I stuttered, the Master cocked a thin smile and turned his body so his back as pointed towards the statue.

His lips moved, but I couldn't make out what he was saying, signifying that it was a thought spoken to himself. Even though I was curious to know what he was talking about, I bit my tongue and restrained my lips from opening until I could convince myself to avoid pressing the issue. The Master turns to me, his eyes briefly widening as he sees my lips curled into my mouth. "Is something the matter?" The Master asks in a tone of genuine concern, and as I open my mouth to breath I lean my head forward and say with a pause every few words, "I was just…Trying to think…Of something else…To say to you…" Once I took in enough oxygen my breathing returned to its normal, steady pace and I lifted my head up and wiped my right hand against my forehead.

Though I gave a response the elderly Toad turned towards me and said something that had no relation to my own words, "How long are you planning on staying in Toad Town for?" The inquiry was sudden, but I knew there was a good-willed yet curious motive behind him asking it. I took my hand to the bottom of my head, turning my head diagonally towards the sky as I thought about my schedule of things I had to do back on Earth. I mumbled out a few of my planned events along with the times they were supposed to happen, but after careful consideration I realized there was really only one answer to the Master's question.

Returning my body to normal, I bent my right elbow at an almost-ninety degree angle and wiggled my hand around to match the way I casually spoke, "I got to be back on Earth in about two weeks for a picnic with some buddies of mine, so I guess I can spend a little over a week here before I head off." Once I had finished speaking my arm retreated to the respective pant pocket, and I looked at the Master to see a smile present on his face. After three seconds of staring at me he turned around and said as he started to walk back to his dojo, "When you get a chance, meet me at my dojo…I'll teach you a thing or two about how to use those element powers of yours."

With time his body left my view, but his words did not leave my mind. After a small grin appeared on my face I swung my right pointer finger below my chin and snapped my fingers, noting to myself, "Alright then, looks like I'll have to take him up on that offer!" With much enthusiasm put into the sentence. With the time I had spent at the statue while speaking to the wise old Toad, I had nearly forgotten my original reason for coming to the center of town. "Oh right!" I said with a shocked expression on my face, my pupils shrinking as I embarrassingly looked at the west side of town. After regaining my composure so as to not warrant anymore stares from the citizens, I said once more to myself, "The pipe to Mario's house should still be over there, so once I find it it'll just be a quick hop, warp and a walk until I can see the good 'ol plumber of the Mushroom Kingdom once again!"

After I had butchered a famous saying mid-sentence, I decided to slowly make my way to the other side of town. But I hadn't even taken three steps when I voice called to me from behind. _"Excuse me, but could you help me out for a moment?"_ I froze in place for a few moments, making sure that the being wasn't in fact calling out to someone else. But when they talked again they said something that narrowed down the person he wanted to speak to down to one, _"You there, with the spiky brown hair, can you turn around for a moment?" _With the being asking politely, I couldn't even think about refusing, and turned myself around to comply to their wishes.

Looking straight ahead after finishing my 180 degree turn, I pulled my arms back swiftly in surprise now that I got a good view of the owner of the mysterious voice. It was an alien who was as tall as I was, with a navy-blue cloaked wrapped around their entire body, minus the brown shoes which oddly enough looked like the type I'd see back on Earth. As I moved towards the head I saw two white gloves resting against the sides of his cloak, but the strangest part of this person's appearance was the shape of their head. Hidden behind the protection of a sphere of glass that had a thick green ring connecting it to the cloak was a mochaccino-colored head with the shape of one of the hills that have eyes here on Plit, and two funnel-shaped antennae attached to the bald scalp that didn't move even as the alien's head moved back and forth to see the sights around him. He had a single eye that took up a third of his face, but it looked rather innocent, which when factored in with the rest of his appearance made him come across as rather non-threatening all things considered.

In fact, as he lowered his head and stared at me with his blank, sunflower petal colored eye, I had to force my right fist against my lips to prevent my laughter from becoming prominent. "I must admit, this is a rather humble town." In complete contrast with his physique and face, the alien's voice was mature and rather gentlemanly, the tone he currently took being one of praise towards the simplicity of Toad Town. But I could tell by the fact that he called for my help that he wasn't ready to start a discussion about the town itself, so as he turned to look at the golden statue of me to the right of him I said with my laughter kept in check, "What brings you to this planet…Umm…"

"Reality. You can refer to me as Mr. Reality." The alien says swiftly with not a hint of rudeness or arrogance as he turned back to me and folded his hands behind his cloak. "Oh, so you are married then? Are you on an intergalactic vacation here with your family?" I said to break the ice between the two of us. "Unfortunately my wife and kids are back on my home world, hundreds of light years away from here." Reality frowned momentarily, his voice becoming filled with disappointment before he perks his head up and takes his right hand to the front of his body and snaps two fingers together. "However, I am still here looking for a good time. In fact, I came here to meet a rather specific person, and was hoping you could tell me if you know where he is at this moment."

With a whiplash in his emotions from sadness to calm delight, Reality moved his left hand to the side of his body and said to me with a jolly expression on his face. "I would assume that this is common knowledge on this planet considering there is a statue of him in the very center of town, but have you ever heard of a being called the Elemental Overlord?" Surprised that the alien couldn't recognize who I was when there was a blatant point of reference erected rather close to him, I proudly laid one hand against my chest and looked at him as he gave me an expression of bewilderment, responding to his question cheerfully with, "You are looking right at him!"

The alien stood still for a moment, scratching the bottom of his helmet with his right hand as I kept my pose until he started to move again. "Is that so?" He says with a tone that expressed his lack of belief in my truthful statement. I kept myself composed though, up until the alien suddenly moves his hands away from his body. There was no arm attached to the cuff of the glove, the hand floating ominously in mid-air as the other one starts to move towards the hole, poking the fingers through and slowly pulling out a rolled up piece of paper without even looking at the shock present on my frozen face.

Once he had it out he swings it in the air, the paper unfurling in front of his face before he grabs the sides with both floating hands and keeps it suspended in place. He scans it, the only noise I hear from him being a quiet hum. I couldn't tell what he was looking at, but as I peered at the back I noticed that the name of the paper was "The Mushroom Kingdom Chronicle", and that the date was set around the same time that I finished my journey to become the Elemental Overlord. By the time I was ready to say something about it the alien curled the paper up and slipped it back into his glove even though logic dictated that there shouldn't have been enough room for it to fit.

"The article I just looked at along with the statue say otherwise child." The alien says, finding humor in my claim as he holds his right arm in front of his body at a length that made it look as if it were normally attached to him. "Actually, the differences in the style and color of your hair in comparison to the picture are all the evidence I need to invalidate your claim of being the Elemental Overlord." I admittedly was a little annoyed by the logic behind his words, and after recovering from my shock I said to him bluntly, "Hey, people's hair can change color and form over time, not like you would know that baldy."

That insult slipped out during my brief lapse of annoyance, but as I slammed my right hand against my mouth and widened my eyes out of fear of Reality's response, the alien merely chuckled at my comment and said to me, "You got a sharp tongue, but I will still consign to your counterargument. However, the proof of your title lies in your sword. So if you are who you claim to be, summon it for me." It was a simple request that he kindly asked me to perform, and with my hand withdrawn from my face and swung enthusiastically out to the side of my body, flames began to swirl around the arm in three separate streams as I smirked at the alien while he patiently awaited for my reveal.

The flames gathered into my palm as I let my fingers hang towards the ground, the fire spreading downward to create the figure of my weapon. The process takes five seconds, and once it is done I grasp my fingers together tightly at the handle to force the flames to disperse. The handle I held led into a ringed segment with a cross of amber and seven small different colored triggers on the top of the diamond-encrusted ring. The blade itself was straight-forward in its appearance, it was five and a half inches wide, as long as half of my body's height, and about an inch thick. The pure, almost silver-like steel was sleek and untouched by either blood or cracks, and at my command the blade was covered in a veil of fire that reflected brightly in the eye of the alien.

I lifted the sword into the air a bit, letting go and moving my hand towards the cross portion to get a better grip on it from there, and with some careful manipulation with my fingers I spin the sword around and eventually brandish the blade at the alien. Though he looked at it in awe, he also had a sly smile on his face as if he had something else to nitpick about. "An interesting looking weapon, but its appearance does not match the picture or the statue. Now tell me, what reasoning do you have to explain that discrepancy?"

"I don't have any reason for you." I said in bold defiance of Reality's wishes. "There is only one Elemental Overlord, and you are looking at him. If you have a problem with that, then fight me and I will prove to you my worth!" I do admit that my second sentence may have reeked of arrogance, but I was starting to get a little tired of the alien calling me a fake, and figured that engaging and beating him in combat would be my only hope of convincing him. As I stood firmly on the ground with my sword spun behind the back of my head, the alien closed his eyelid lightly and raised his feet so they were now hovering behind his cloak. "Very well then…Toss everything you got at me, nothing you use will change what is reality, for only I am the one who can dictate the ways of which it will flow."

_Next Time: A Thorough Defeat_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Mr. Reality I: The Game Begins**

I stood still for a few seconds as my opponent raised his unharmed gloves into the air beside his helmet. I thought he was going to strike first, and waited for the moment when his attack would come forth for me to counter. But like me he was motionless, his eye focusing on my face in anticipation for my own actions. The tension between our colliding vision was thick, and with my patience bordering on unwavering levels I knew I'd be able to hold myself together even if it took minutes for him to strike. The incoming breeze blew my hair around, a couple strands going against my face only for me to use my command over the air element to prevent the wind from obscuring my vision in such a manor.

As the breeze stopped Reality noticed the event thanks to the stillness of his cloak and said to me with his only brow raised, "Are you going to attack or not?" Admittedly, he had a lot of gall to make such an inquiry, but after looking at him for the last minute it was easy to see that the alien didn't share the same patience that I did. Or at least, that's what I thought was the reason behind him asking me that question. "Why, you in a rush?" I decide to ask to get some info out of him, and he responds with a polite, "Not really, I got plenty of time to spare, I would just rather not float around for a prolonged period of time, that's all."

…He had a point, but one that had an underlying purpose behind it, that was easy to see. He wanted to lower my guard by acting nice in hopes that I'll attack first, and in my hastiness he would be the one successful in hitting. But as I kept looking at him I thought it was weird that he even wanted to fight in the first place. He wasn't hiding his power, he was at his maximum level already, and he was only slightly weaker than I was at my full power in my current state. So even if he managed to do some damage, I would just changed to one of my Element Forms, increase the gap and beat him easily.

Which means he had an ability, and judging by his calm demeanor and confidence it had to be one that would be effective against someone of my power set. I didn't sense any darkness within his heart, but at the same time I didn't sense any pure intentions. It was partially hard to read him because of that, so I knew the only way to figure things out from here on would be to finally start the fight. So I brought my sword out to the front so I could grasp the handle with my other hand as well, pointing it diagonally away from my body and charging forth towards the alien.

The alien starts moving his lips, no sound being heard coming out from him as I got ever closer. Once I was but a few feet away Reality made an effort to avoid my approach, moving backwards with his hands and feet following close behind. However, I predicted his dodge and with only a thought the ground rumbled below his body, three portions cracking and rising upward like pockets of air were burst underneath. Thick vines pop out of the newly made holes, one of them wrapping around the cloak and forcing the gloves to stick against the cloth, another tying the feet together and the last one wrapping around the rim of the helmet and suspending him in place.

With it now easy to strike him, I lifted one foot up and slammed it against the ground, kicking myself up in front of the vines and quickly rising with my sword raised above my head. I condensed the flames against the blade to give it a nice, vibrant glow, and once I saw my opponent eye to eye I brought my weapon down with full force. I cut through the helmet, head, cloak and vines in one fell swoop. As the blade fully passed in front of my eyes while the fire burned through the grassy fibers that kept Reality restrained, I said quietly to myself, "Umm…"

To be honest, I got a little out of control there. I had no intention of killing my opponent and yet after a few months without any serious combat I just got caught up in the heat of the moment and ended up slaying an innocent…No wait, scratch that. As the burning vines turn to ashes I look down past them as they descend in a cloud and see the alien floating above the ground, moving his lips around as energy starts to swirl in his floating right hand. I keep myself in the air with my power of flight, holding my sword out to the side of my body as I think, "Oh great, he is an illusionist…"

Realizing his ability didn't really make me feel as good as I thought it would, especially since illusions are a real pain in the ass to deal with. If he is as potent with his powers as I think he might be, then chances are that I will never be able to land a blow on him. As I looked at the energy he was compressing I saw white, blue and green within the expanding orb. I thought the choices of colors was strange, but I snapped myself out of it upon realizing that I was letting myself get distracted by something so minor. The "attack", I sarcastically called it, was nearing completion, so I had to figure out a way to get around the illusions Reality made.

Then something quickly came to mind. I remembered back to when I met my opponent eye to eye before striking him. At the time my mind felt weird, and knowing what I know now I can see why. His illusion powers only work when he stares at me, which is why he never turned away when fleeing so his eyes would stay locked on to my own. Therefore, the solution was obvious. I quickly shut my eyelids as he fired the attack at me, twisting my arms and pointing the blade diagonally towards the ground as I lifted it up to my face to guard against the incoming projectile.

However, as I concealed my vision I instantly noticed what was wrong. While I was led to believe I was being attacked from the front, the return of my senses revealed to me that there was no projectile heading in that direction, but instead there was one flying at me from behind. So while my opponent was sure of his deceit I spun my body around, letting the sword stick straight out with my hand firmly grasping it to make sure that it doesn't fly out, and once I've cut the giant orb of energy down the center the two halves fly harmless above and below me before the disconnection causes a breakdown that detonates them in mid-air.

With the strength I put into my swing I had to bend my head downward, smiling proudly at my discovery as my eyes look up at the cloud of smoke that had appeared to cover me from Reality's line of sight. "Alright, time to strike while I have the chance." I say quietly to myself, shutting my eyelids and using my powers to pick up my opponent's energy signal once more. I then thrust my entire body downward, the blade of my sword at my side with the cross portion gripped in my left hand. As I got closer to the alien I spin my body around, letting go of my weapon so the momentum built up from it being dragged along can carry it forward long enough for me to command it to flip and point forward, where I grab onto the handle with my right hand and hold it in front of my face with the flames unrestrained from the blade.

With a swift swing I launch a crescent wave of fire at my target. Suddenly, I sense a great influx of energy rising in front of his body. Whatever it was, it blocked my projectile with ease, and with my lead-in dealt with I swerved my body upright and tried to grind to a halt, only for my feet to press against a smooth surface. I lifted my brows, let out a sound of realization and kicked off of the wall of energy to backflip through the air and get away from my opponent as spikes thrust out sharply from the surface. It was at a time like this that I wish I just open my eyes and see just what emotion my opponent was expressing on his face, but that just wasn't an option so long as I continued to fight against this opponent.

Still, a lack of vision left me at a major disadvantage. While I could sense Reality's energy along with his attacks, I couldn't see nor sense what my surroundings were while I kept my eyelids sealed tight. And that posed a problem for one major reason, one that was rather ironic all things considered. The giant statue of me in the center of town could lead to me getting a concussion or otherwise stunned for a brief period of time if the alien is wise enough to lure me towards it. I will gladly admit that I am a bit hard-headed, but I am not that way in a literal sense, and even in my Phoenix Form I cannot break through solid gold with my skull…You really don't want to think about how I know that to be true.

So I prepared myself to launch another attack from afar. However, I sensed something amiss with the atmosphere around me, as if it was in pain because of an unknown force. Without any knowledge of what was happening around me, I heard the citizens crying out in fear and surprise as the clank of metal links echoes in the air. The next thing I know, I feel the cold chill of steel wrapping itself multiple times around my bare arms, which ends with my hands being punctured straight through the center by diamond-like spikes. As I grimace from the sudden pain that has thrust itself through my arms, my eyelids open all on their own, and it takes me a few moments to realize that my legs are being bound in almost the exact same way amidst the pain I was enduring. Luckily for me, nothing penetrates through my shoes and feet, a feeling I am pleased to not have to experience. As I try and move my head downward I find that I can only see my kneecaps, my arms having been pulled back behind me along with the lower parts of my legs.

As one more chain ruptures from the ground below me and thrusts itself at my chest, I am able to get a better look at it. It was golden in color, a pale-ish glow surrounding its form as it started to wrap around my midsection. I tried to determine what type of energy it was composed of, but no matter how hard I focused on it I was unable to figure it out. All I knew for certain was that it wasn't from this world, or perhaps not even from this dimension. While I struggled to break free, the pain increased specifically in my arms when I tried to budge them.

All the while my opponent rose up into the air, his presence being noted out of the corner of my eye as I had my head turned towards my weapon. So I turned towards him and looked at him out of utter surprise. "How can you still be hitting me with an illusion?" I said, assuming that he was manipulated my subconscious to feel real pain, and that these chains were non-existent. Reality raised his right hand to the front of his face and pressed his fingers together ready to snap them. As he looked at me with his brow arched he said, "I must honestly admit, I didn't expect you to figure out the trick so quickly. However, the speed at which you nailed down the flaw in my technique has allowed me to determine how perceptive you truly are. Not only that, but I've now figured out that while you are hot-blooded, you are also incredibly patient and sometimes cautious. Even if your sword is different from the one I saw in the picture, you showed control over fire, wind, and grass…So your claim as an Elemental Overlord is now verified to me. Also, speaking of your weapon…"

After the alien quickly listed off everything he discovered about me and my personality, he snapped his fingers while moving his lips without me being able to hear what he has to say, holding his hand out flat in the air as space warps above the palm. From the distortion appears some flames, and in a matter of seconds Reality has my sword in his grasp. But it wasn't the original he had, for that was still in my grasp, but rather a perfect replication of its size and form. After wrapping his fingers around the handle he dispels the burning aura with a thought and swings it outright, the tip of the blade cutting across my left cheek as he holds the weapon beside his body precariously. "Don't you think it looks good in my hand?"

It was an impossible act, one that defies all forms of reality…It was as I thought that that I finally realized what my opponent's power truly was, the revelation coming so suddenly that my eyes widened in abject fear while my slight movements stopped entirely. "You are a…reali-" Suddenly, as the alien's lips move silently, a seal made out of the same energy as the chains is taped to my face, preventing any further words from emerging through my lips as he continues speaking to himself and causes the copy of my sword to vanish from his hand. He then floats close to me, his hands and feet trailing behind before the right hand scoops up and rests below my chin, pressing up to raise my head so my face is but an inch away from the glass of Reality's helmet.

As he narrows his eye to stare at me, he grins. "Sorry, I can't have you saying anything out loud. Only you need to know the truth at the moment, the citizens of this planet are inconsequential to my plan." After making his comment he takes a look at the chains that bind me and says without staring into my eyes, "Like the chains? They once were used by the lord of Subspace, a being by the name of Tabuu…However, he along with his realm have both perished, becoming remnants lost forever in the winds of history by most." He turned back to me, my body shivering in fear for my mortal life as he withdrew his hand and edged away a few inches.

"Don't worry, I have no plans to kill you. You are the most important character in my game, and now that I've learned all I need to about you I can make the necessary arrangements to begin it. However, I'd rather you not be awake as I do this, so…" Reality claps his hands together, muttering something to himself once more, and before I knew it my facial features became completely relaxed, my eyelids growing heavy as my head started to hang low. I tried to keep myself awake as I sensed that I was about to be thrust into a heavy slumber, but to no avail. As the sealing of my eyelids crept closed, I could faintly hear the alien speaking to me. "Do not worry, you will wake up unharmed…As for everyone else on this planet…Well, you'll find out when you awake." And with that, my eyelids were shut, the fuzziness of my vision being all that I remember seeing before my body became lifeless…

And then I woke up as quickly as a heartbeat, my eyelids thrusting open with a mighty gasp emerging from my lips as if I had just came back from death. All I saw straight ahead were light-gray clouds in the sky and the brick walls that rested on both sides of my body. It was clear from just those two things that I was lying on my back in an alleyway, and as I tried to creak my head upward to see who or what brought me here my brain throbbed from my sudden movement. I endured through the pain and kept lifting it up along with the rest of my body, sitting upright and rubbing the sore back of my head with my vision becoming slightly blurred for a few seconds.

As I rubbed my hand I realized that the place where the spike had punctured through was all healed up, almost to the point where there was no sign of damage at all. I smacked my lips and opened them to yawn, which also allowed me to realized that the seal has vanished from my face. So as I tried to get a bearing on the rest of my body's condition I said to myself with a bit of regret, "Geez…Mr. REALITY? How was I not savvy enough to catch on to his gimmick sooner?" Even with that question pressing on my mind, it was too late to take back what had happened. Like it or not, the alien thoroughly trashed me in our brief period of combat, but now he was nowhere to be found.

After rubbing my head once the throbbing had subsided I turned it back and forth, but neither saw nor felt the presence of anyone in the general vicinity. Then again, Reality probably used his powers to hide his energy signature so I couldn't find him once I awoke. After discarding the notion of pursuing the alien, I quickly looked forward in utter shock. What I saw was Toad Town, which was turned entirely monochrome. Having been misled by what I saw in my initial awakening, I looked up into the sky again to realize that what I saw was not clouds, but the color-deprived sky itself.

Suddenly, everything became strangely eerie, even more so since I was covered in the shroud of this alleyway's shadow. I cautiously got on my feet, looking behind my shoulders just in case there was something lurking behind the trash cans that rested at the end. There was no one in sight though, so I chose to lower my guard for a bit as I turned back around and begin to creep towards the end of the alleyway. "So far so good…" I say as I exit out of there and enter the town. I wasn't in the center where the statue was anymore, but rather the part just south of it. However, I couldn't see a single Toad, the area was completely devoid of life in both its people and the environment.

"What did he do…" I say as I take a look around, hoping that, maybe, just maybe, there was someone out there. But amidst this blank land I didn't see a single soul, and I became increasingly worried with each passing second. My heartbeat became rapid, as if I was in a horror film where I was left as the only person alive on a desolate planet. Or maybe this was the condition all along and Mr. Reality changed my perception of the place to lower my guard before revealing the truth to me. "No, that can't be. The Toad's panicked screams were real, the Master was real, the statue was real as well…So why is the planet like this now?"

That's what I say to reassure myself, and thankfully my conviction is strong enough to keep the doubts submerged in my mind while I try to put the pieces together. "He mentioned something about a game…And that I was the most important character." Those were the two facts I was able to recall, but that was only part of the grand picture and at the moment it didn't help my situation. I snapped my fingers in annoyance, gritting my teeth and lowering my head with my eyes widened furiously. I stamped my foot against the ground, pissed off at my predicament as I declared in righteous anger, "Reality warper or not, if I find that alien again I am going to wring his neck for putting me through this much stress." And then I started to wonder if Mr. Reality even had a neck, which I thought was a humorous thought, and helped to alleviate some of my stress as I chuckled.

"Alright, that felt good…" I say as I calm down and lift my head up high and proud. It was then that I heard footsteps, though the direction of which they were coming from was unknown. I turned my head around joyously, smiling over the fact that I was not alone, yet unaware of the change in emotions I would again be going through. Emerging from all sides were monochrome Toads, but they did not walk normally, their heads swaying back and forth as their pale, pupil-less eyes are glazed over in sync with their drooling, decayed mouths. It was obvious from their appearances along with their hungered groans that they weren't themselves, but zombies.

A jolt of surprise thrust itself into my heart, causing it to once again beat rapidly as I began to panic and shifted my head around only to find that I was surrounded. My immediate decision was to try and fly to escape, but as I lifted my arms into the air my body did not follow suit. "Huh?" I said once with my eyes blinking twice before I tried to perform the action again. Still nothing happened, and a quick look down revealed that the zombie Toads were only ten feet away from me. As much as I hated the notion, I had to defend myself somehow, so I lowered my body and swung my right arm out with the fingers outspread to draw my sword.

After a couple of seconds of waiting though, no flames emerged to form it, and as I turned to look at my arm in shock my worries increased tenfold. I had nothing. No flight, no sword, and probably no elemental powers as well. I was defenseless against the swarm of zombies, and as I turned to look at just one of them they raised their head up with their mouth shut. Without warning one of them leaped at me to get the first bite of flesh, my arms raised in defense as they snarled and narrowed their eyelids in feverous hunger. My doom was imminent, but I kept my eyelids open none the same.

But it was odd, even with this being my final moment my life did not flash before me. As I wondered why that was, a flash of light filled the sky for a moment, passing into my field of vision and covering the zombie as its mouth was only an inch away from my skin. Once the period of time has passed, I suddenly find myself back in the alleyway with my guard still up, but I look out to the town and see the zombie that jumped at me falling to the ground with a thud. The rest of the swarm looked around for a moment, never once noticing my presence before they retreated from whence they came.

I was safe, but for what reason I did not know. Was it a whim of the gods to spare my life for another purpose? As I asked that question a voice called to me from behind, _"To think I had to pull you back here twice..." _I quickly turned around, and saw a being hunched over under the cover of a strange, dark-red and soot covered cloth. His face was obscured by the shadows of it, and he was strangely missing his right hand. The left one was floating over an orb with a spiritual, light-blue hue that was put into his grasp and withdrawn into the sleeve of his robe.

With the shadows of the alleyway I couldn't tell if his hand was of human origin or not, but he didn't give me a chance to find out as he folded his sleeves in front of his chest and kept himself silent. There a mystical aspect to this being in both their appearance and the elderly tone of their voice. He was about three-quarters of my height, I estimated, and as I kept my hands to my side I said to him with gratitude and then bewilderment, "Thank you for rescuing me…But who are you?" The being stayed silent for a few moments before they spoke again, this time with their voice cracking, "I am but a being who exists outside the view of most mortals, a shadow that carries within his books the past, present and inevitably the future of deities both young and old. My real name can only be said in a language long-lost to the rifts of time, but you can call me the Eternity Chronicler…"

_Next Time: Regaining What has been Lost_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Picking up the Pieces**

"The…Eternity Chronicler?" I repeated the name of my mysterious compatriot, as he nodded his head, glad that I confirmed and understood the meaning behind it. I had many questions to ask, all of them relating to Mr. Reality, but as I opened my mouth I was interrupted by the robed being. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked in a concerned tone, still keeping his elderly, cracked voice intact as he creaked his head up slightly and peered at me through the shadows of his draped hood. Now that he mentioned it, I was feeling a bit dizzy, though that was probably a side effect of the rollercoaster of events I went through in just the last ten minutes alone.

I took my left hand to the side of my head, rubbing it in wait for the feeling to subside, and while I patiently awaited that moment to pass I said to the figure, "Yeah…Does it have any relevance to my condition?" "Your…Condition?" The Chronicler said out of confusion for the question I just raised. "Uh-huh. I've been stripped of all my Elemental Powers, I can't draw my sword, and oddly enough my power of flight is gone as well." I respond, and after a few moments of chilling silence the figure turns itself around and begins to mumble under his breath. Most of his words I hear apart from each other, but there is one coherent sentence that I manage to catch.

"…Just what is the reality warper playing at…" After a few more seconds of silence the being parts his arms and turns around, a single finger poking through the draping sleeve towards me. "This poses a rather byzantine impasse for the planet…" It took me a moment to remember the definitions of the two complex words the Chronicler used in his sentence, but once I did I briefly widened my eyes and folded my arms in front of my chest with a scowl on my face. The figure chuckled at my expression, gesturing his left sleeve to the right as he said, "Do not tense yourself over my wordplay, you are going to need to stay focused if you are going to save this planet from the reality warper's grasp."

"…I just got to ask." I discarded my annoyance after the figure made light of it, unfolding my arms and twisting my body slightly to the right so I can turn my head and glance out to the swarm of zombie Toads as the linger about the town. "Do you know if the rest of the planet is like this as well?" The Chronicler didn't have to tilt his head to see what I staring at, what I was referring to was spread around him like the air flowing into his lungs. "Yes. The reality warper has turned Plit into a monochrome wasteland and transformed its once joyous citizens into a legion of the undead. You are the only one unaffected, young Overlord, but as to why I have nary a clue."

Once the Chronicler had updated me on the situation, I squinted out at the Toads, pitying them for being forced into this condition against their will. I then turned back to the figure, glaring at him suspiciously with a smile halfway spread on my face. "Hold the phone, why aren't YOU affected by the reality warper's powers?" Even though his face wasn't visible, I could only imagine the coy grin on the being as he chuckled ominously to himself and responded to my question in a grim tone with his arms folded in front of his chest. "We of the spiritual plane cannot be affected by those who warp the fabric of reality…Likewise, we cannot directly meddle in the affairs of those beings."

"So you're a ghost then?" "Perceptive, aren't we?" The figure responded with snark to my rather obvious confirmation of his true form. "Then why are you still here if you can't do anything to stop Mr. Reality?" I asked, and the figure raised his right sleeve and wiggled his pointer finger out of the shadows. "Now now, I may not be able to directly stop him, but I can help guide you along so you can do the job yourself." The comment took me by surprise, as my facial features flinched and I quickly lifted one finger up and pointed it at myself. "Me? What makes you think that I can stop him?"

"For whatever reason, you are the only one who has been allowed to keep his free will. Whether it was his decision or the gods', you have been given a chance to do something about this threat, and it is up to me to guide you through the trials and write down everything that happens to both you and him." The Chronicler's point couldn't be denied. I was the last person who could stop Mr. Reality, and an entire planet's fate was in jeopardy. At the same time though, I found it difficult to suppress the fears lingering within the depths of my mind. I was worried about what would happen if I went to confront the alien again, the things he could do to me of which the degrees would probably be worse than what he did before.

Before I was left helpless in the chains, robbed of my ability to move or fight back as I was suspended in the air and the citizens of Toad Town screamed in fear that their hero was toppled so effortlessly. I didn't want to disappoint them all again by dying, in fact I considered myself lucky that death wasn't my fate after all that occurred. "Maybe I should run…" I thought to myself as my eyes shift nervously back and forth and my heart started pounding against my chest. "Yeah…The alien only wanted the Elemental Overlord, so if I leave he might return this planet back to normal…"

Those were the only thoughts that raced through my mind, all focusing on cowardice out of fear for my own mortal life. I took a nervous step back, which causes the Chronicler to take notice as he lifts his head up slightly. I could feel the disdain coming from his shrouded eyes, all of it piercing into my already distorted soul and weighing it down with a feeling of utter guilt. But I just couldn't stop myself from stepping backwards a couple more steps. My reasoning for wanting to retreat was sensible. What could I, no, what could ANYONE do against someone of his powers?

And then I begun to think about the scope of his reality warping ability, which froze me in place as I dangled my arms off to the side and stared blankly up into the sky. "That's right…" I said. If he wanted to, he could just use his powers to figure out where I went off to, and teleport to Earth and turn it into a wasteland. All those humans, all my friends, unaware of anything that was happening, would suffer the same fate as the people on this world just because I couldn't stand up and face the challenge set before me.

I may not be an adult, but I am a man, and it was wrong to back down from this responsibility I had been given. I was obligated not just by the title I wielded, but by the bonds I formed with Mario and the others to go brave the strange new environment and find some way to save everyone from their fate. If I ever turned back, then all I'd feel is the burning scorn of a billion eyes. That was it, I didn't need to convince myself any further, I buried these fears and troubles of mine deep down, letting my determination rise in its place as I tightly clenched both of my fists and rose one straight up beside me, punching a crater right into the brick wall without even trying.

There was nothing but silence after that, the Chronicler leaning forward and laughing creepily out of joy and relief as I looked straight at him and heard him say, "I see that you've still retained your strength, even if your elemental powers have not been kept…This is good." After pulling my arm away from the wall without commenting on the pain throbbing through my muscles and bones, I moved back to where I once stood and stared down at the robed figure with burning determination in my glare and a proud smile on my face.

"So I must assume your resolve has returned?" My response was not vocal, for I simply nodded my head once and kept my glare going. "Then your journey has already begun." The Chronicler says joyously as he folds his arms together through the sleeves. "So now what shall you do?" The question was directed to me, and I had to lift my eyes up and tilt my head to get deep in thought and come up with an answer to it. After a few seconds, I shift my head back and snap my fingers as I drag my hand through the air in a broad arch. "I need to get my elemental powers back, duh." I say with enthusiasm.

"That is correct…But do you have any idea as to how you will go about that most crucial task?" …The Chronicler's question caused my positive attitude to drop almost instantly, the hand I used to snap my fingers with quickly being slapped against the front of my face as I spread the fingers so my worried glare still peers through the cracks. "Crap…I didn't even bother to think about that. Can't blame me though, my mood has whipped back and forth so much in just the last half-hour alone…" The man laughed at my cluelessness, his demeanor remaining surprisingly calm in spite of what I just said.

"Let me give you a hint…'On the glorious hills where your memories reside, you should retread your steps to see where the truth hides.'" "Oh, so you are telling me that I should go back to the temples where I found the elemental stones on my previous journeys and see if there is a way to restore my powers there?" The Chronicler was forced into silence at my response. It was obvious that he didn't expect me to answer his riddle in a heartbeat, and for the first time since I met him he raises his right sleeve to the lower part of his hood and says, "Note to self, never again bother with complexity when faced with a perceptive individual…" in a clear tone of voice.

Afterwards he raises his head up and looks me in the eyes. "Then you know which place to go to first, yes?" He says, regaining his crackled voice in the process. I nod, smile, and say in response, "The Osagi Woods just north of here, where the Nature Castle is buried deep within." The Chronicler nods his head happily, and I turn around and start to walk to the end of the alleyway, only for me to realize something that I had briefly forgotten. I freeze in place just before I exit, turn my head towards the being, and say to him, "Umm, hey…Can you do that trick of yours again so I can get to the northern end of town without running into anymore zombies?" My tone is nervous, but I slip a chuckle at the end of my question with a pure, honest smile on my face.

"Yes…I most certainly can." The Chronicler draws his right hand out of his robe with a spherical object at the ready. I waited for him to activate it, but instead he lifted his head up and looked at me. I turned my head around, wondering what was up. "Before you go though, there is a pressing question I wish to be answered…Tell me, what do you believe it means to be a hero?" It was a sudden question, one that I could only guess the reasoning behind him asking it. I shifted my body so all of it was facing at him, leaning the backside of my right hand against my hip and pieced together an answer that was true to myself.

"What does it mean to be a hero? A hero is someone who does the right thing obviously, but just what can be considered right depends on how they are raised. Someone raised to follow justice could be seen as a hero to the good citizens of a civilization or planet, but a person raised in the ways of evil could be seen as a hero in the eyes of a tyrant and his men simply because of the conquests he has been successful in and the lives he has taken. You see, the real definition of what it means a hero is subjective between both sides of the law, and it just so happens that I follow the side of justice, so that's the one I choose to use."

Admittedly my response was somewhat half-assed, considering a few details were left out because of how sudden the question itself was, but it seems the figure was satisfied with it all the same. "Very well…Then I will see you around." His sentence was short compared to the length of my answer, and he let go of his orb and let it float down silently as it began to glow once more. The bright light that saved me from being consumed by the gnawing of the zombies covers the area, my body barely having time to react before it vanishes. I am then left alone, my arms raised in front of my chest as I look forward and see that the cloaked being has disappeared into the wind.

I was still in the alleyway though, unlike before when he took me away from the center of the undead swarm. After my surprise vanished I turned around with a smile on my face, looking out to see that the zombie Toads had been frozen in place. It seems as though the Chronicler had the ability to manipulate time, which actually made sense considering what his purpose was. Thus I began my uneventful stroll through the monochrome, passing through the center where my statue is. As I enter that part though I notice something has changed. Instead of my figure, it was that of Mr. Reality, the only object still retained its color just so I would easily notice it.

I was insulted by its presence, but obviously that was its purpose in being here, so I quickly turned my head away from it and continued walking towards the azure door with a star at the northern end of town. I passed through it by parting it open, entering the area where Peach's Castle is. Actually, I had completely forgotten about the place due to my worries being focused mainly on the citizens. I remember when I first came here, and how taken aback I was by the beauty and splendor of the place of which I had only seen as a 3-D model before then. None of those traits were present now, it was devoid of color just like nearly everything else. I ran past the castle quickly, mostly because I didn't want to start imagining what fate had befallen the princess and her retainers. I only made one more glance back at the place after I was already past it, staring at its backside as I tread across the lifeless grasslands that led to the Osagi Woods.

Even as I started to run out of breath I kept sprinting to my destination. "Heh, guess my endurance levels aren't as high…as they used to be." I noted this information to myself for the future, since I didn't want to run the risk of getting exhausted during the battles that I will undoubtedly face. Actually, once I thought about it, I realized that there was a major problem with me going into battle. "…I don't have my sword." I wasn't exactly one for hand-to-hand combat, a weakness I had been trying to find someway to deal with for quite a few months after having my weapon wrenched from my hands far too many times during combat training with the others.

As I thought about my predicament I made it to the edge of the forest, a flash of light suddenly passing through me to undo the time freezing spell the Chronicler had cast. Now I couldn't return to Toad Town until I stopped Mr. Reality or at the very least found some other way to restore life to the place. I bent forward and placed my hands against my knees with sweat dripping down my face, my mouth opening at steady intervals so I could catch my breath. But as I recovered, a voice I was not in the mood to hear called to me from close by. _"I see that you survived the opening of the game."_

I turned my head to the left, my eyes glaring with fury at a holographic screen that is projecting video footage of the reality warping alien in the air. Without even caring about everything else he had done to the planet, the first thing I say to him after widening my eyes with an inner feeling of intense fury is, "GIVE ME BACK MY SWORD YOU SON OF A BITCH!" My sudden demand takes Mr. Reality by surprise, as I can see him blinking his eyelid a few times in disbelief before his mouth starts moving without sound. I suddenly feel a chance in my consciousness, a connection being reestablished with the realm of which I draw my sword from.

Surprised by his generosity, I calm myself down and lift my body up, raising my right hand in front of my chest and spreading the fingers apart, concentrating as hard as I could to draw my sword into my grasp. There were no flames to signal its arrival, just a normal veil of light formed its figure before it was summoned. I immediately wrapped my fingers around the handle as tightly as I could, instantly noticing that something was up when I looked at the triggers that rest on the top of the ring. They had lost their colors, even though everything else on the weapon retained them.

I figured there would have to be a catch for me getting my weapon back so easily, so I turned my head to Mr. Reality, slanted my eyebrows, and said to him in a hesitantly submissive tone, "Alright Mr. Reality, what are you playing at here?" _"Nothing. You are the only one is doing any sort of playing."_ His response was quick, but was one that really didn't make any sense considering the point he was trying to get at. "Huh?" I said, turning the rest of my body around to face him before giving a response I felt fit the situation. "What do you mean, I'm the only one playing?"

"_I mean what I said. You are playing my game, one I setup to match your specific qualifications, and the whole planet is the landscape of which you the main character will traverse in order to reach the end goal." _"And you stripped me of most my powers because?" I responded after holding my sword horizontally in front of my body, making certain that Mr. Reality saw my diluted triggers in his line of sight. _"Hehehe…"_ His laugh was innocent, but not one devoid of an eerie chill. He opens his eyelids and stares at me, my pupils shrinking in the face of his glare as he says, _"Because I am…Interested."_

He takes a pause to fold his hands in front of his cloak, closing his eyelid as he begins to weave together the words that form his reasoning. _"You see, I've heard about your journey to become the Elemental Overlord, about the trials you've endured and the battles you fought. However, I cannot rewind time to see you do everything all over again, so I came up with an idea. I would make a game where you would have to go through the seven elemental temples again, reclaiming each of your lost powers one at a time, and once you are done you'll earn the right to face me again…Of course, assuming you survive the conditions I have set up for you to face." _

The alien's reasons seemed a bit sketchy. From the way he talked I could sense that there was an ulterior motive behind his little game. So I raised a brow as he looked at me once more and said to him, "And just where are YOU at right now?" _"Would my response help you right now? Actually, even if it did, as the villain of the game I created, I have no obligation to tell you anything."_ As I curled my lips into a disappointed pout, I had to admit that he had a point in what he said. It was still odd talking to Mr. Reality like this, especially after what he has done to this planet and myself. Maybe it was just best for me to drop the subject for now since I was not only flustered from the events thus far, but I had nothing really to say to the alien because of how sudden his appearance was.

After noting that he would more than likely pop in on one of these screens as I headed off to each temple, I nodded my head in argument of what he said and lowered my arm, my sword vanishing back to whence it came until I needed it later. _"However, I will admit that I refuse to let you go in to that forest completely blind. After all, you will find that relying on your memories won't help you all of the time during this game."_ Mr. Reality said with the most honest expression he could muster on his face. _"Remember the outer guardians? Well, I made a new set of them by infusing specific creatures on this planet who are the same species as the previous set with a portion of the elemental powers you once had. So if you happen to know what each creature was, then you shall be prepared…For the most part. For now, I bid you farewell, Mewmaster."_

With a message that revealed that he knew my name, most likely via his powers, the screen fizzled and shrunk into a thin line before fading away, leaving me alone in the Osagi Woods. The game was now truly afoot thanks to its master's will, and as I turned my head towards the forest thick with trees I knew deep down that something was missing by my side. "When I came here before, I met Driad alongside Mario…Now I'm going in all-alone, and I don't even know how any of them are doing…I got to get my powers back as soon as possible." There was no longer any need for me to discuss my mission. It was as plain as the environment around me. So with no more words to say to my lonesome self, I began my trek into the thick, dark forest in front of me.

_Next Time: A Specter in his Prime_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The King's Frightful Welcome**

I entered the thicket of trees that led the way to the Nature Castle. I remembered how Driad was the one who guided us along the proper path so we wouldn't get devoured by wolves. You see, Driad was actually the former outer guardian of the temple before he lost his memories by losing to a Boo, only for him to regain his memories somehow, go through an identity crisis, and became a wolf again a couple times before he discarded that form to be a samurai…You know, that explanation of mine could only make sense on this planet. Either way, without Driad around and this forest's inhabitants more than likely under Mr. Reality's control, I had to tread caution to avoid being lunged at and devoured by those vicious beasts.

Though one thing did help my trek, and that was the change in color to the environment. Compared to the condition Toad Town was in, everything around me was painted a light shade of emerald-green, which made it easy to see what was around me so I wouldn't accidentally lose time by running face first into a tree and getting knocked unconscious. In fact, with all this green around me, I almost had to wonder if I didn't walk across a yellow brick road to arrive here and just simply didn't notice it.

As I continued to walk, something came to my attention, something that really annoyed me to no end and made me freeze in place to think about it. "I'm bored…" I say to myself. My reaction was bit justified though. I wasn't really used to traveling solo, I usually had an acquaintance or two by my side, either to talk with me or just lift away the lonely atmosphere. But now I was by myself, a weird sensation passing through my mind as I thought about my predicament and folded my arms in front of my chest with a puzzled pout on my face. "You really think that boredom would be the last thing on my mind when I'm out to save the world."

Yeah, here I am standing around thinking about my loneliness, while that alien sonuvabitch is probably watching me from afar and enjoying every second of my situation. The imagining of a shit-eating grin on that dome-shaped head of his caused me to raise my tightly clenched right fist near my chest in rage, which also helped to snap me out of my previous train of thought and get focused back on the current mission. "I'll knock that grin off his face later, right now, I need to get my powers back." And then I realized that I REALLY need to stop reminding myself of the obvious.

So inevitably, with only myself around to keep me company, the rest of the uneventful trip went by without a hitch. I arrived at the Nature Castle, the brick walls untouched by moss and vines since the last time I came here while the rest of the building retained its color on the outside. "I guess this was done so it could be easy to see it amongst the rest of the green scenery…" I note, thanking Mr. Reality in my mind as one hand rubs against the bottom of my chin. However, I could see beyond the shrouded entryway that the insides had been painted a dark emerald-green color to contrast the tone in the rest of the forest.

"Yeah that figures." I joke, lowering my arm and shrugging my shoulders before looking out towards the castle, reminded of what happened before. Having not known about the outer guardians at the time, we went towards the temple, only to be frightened by the Boo who lied in wait in the shadows. I wish I could recall the surprise on my face, but facial expressions are sadly one of the few things I'm incapable of recalling, especially those I once saw on others. "Geez, look at me, standing around like a nostalgic sap." I said in reference to my current mood amidst the dreary emerald atmosphere.

Then again, I guess I've always been a complicated person when it comes to emotions. The instability of them has sometimes led me to think that I'd have been better off born a girl, only to rectify my little sexist thoughts with a widening of the eyes and a shake of my head. Now was no different, though this time I slapped myself across the face to further hammer things in. After the sting caused my self-inflicted pain subsided, I began to move towards the temple, fully prepared to fight whatever guardian the alien had setup for me to face.

"You will find that relying on your memories won't help you all of the time during this game" I quietly repeated the only hint Mr. Reality gave me before he left, pondering the true meaning behind it as I approached the shadows hidden below the two thick tree branches overhead. A spherical shadow passed along the ground in front of me, vanishing the moment I blinked my eyelids and causing me to ponder if there was ever one at all. "No, wait a second…" I was quick to discard my doubts, especially considering what I was thinking about just a moment ago. I stood still, instinctively swinging my right arm beside me, forgetting that I had no one around to stop from going any further.

Feeling foolish for the movement of my limb, I cautiously moved my arm back as I heard the high-pitched cackle of a ghost echoing above me. I shifted my head upward, noticing the pale-green form of the guardian as it flew by overheard. It faded into an ethereal form, the only thing allowing me to track it being the laugh that was meant yet failing to unhinge me. However, the ineffectiveness of their laugh doesn't take away the slow, heart beating fear I'm feeling from a lack of visibility from my opponent. They could pop up anywhere at anytime, and only my ever-present perceptiveness and caution kept me from succumbing to a surprise attack by the ghost.

Suddenly, the laughter dies in its entirety, with not even the echoes resounding against my eardrums as I take cautious step back. I fully expected an attack from below, and as I found out in a couple of moments my assumption was on the dot, for the ghost phased right out of the ground with its bottom side pointed at me as I leaped back and cupped my hands and stacked them on top of each other as I quickly summoned my sword into their grip. After floating for a couple seconds the ghost turns its body downward, its full form being revealed to me.

I recognized the creature immediately thanks to its bloody red pupils glowing at me at the center of its curved, ghastly black eyes and the golden crown with the large magenta jewel on top of its head. It was King Boo, the leader of all Boos and a longtime nemesis of Luigi who works with Bowser on-and-off. Besides the two features that allowed me to recognize him, the rest of his appearance had been modified. For one, the "skin" of his body has become a mint-green color, the tongue now a sunflower yellow while his gaping mouth revealed an endless void of rose red. His stubby arms had become entangled with vines, which helped him to emulate the appearance of the previous outer guardian. King Boo was clearly under Mr. Reality's control, for he didn't say anything to me, instead choosing to rear its head up and let out a ghastly wail that ripples the air around me. It was time for battle, only with no elements to assist me against this specter.

**The Phantasm Ruler of the Tress: Garden King Boo**

My first action in the fight was to raise my sword up diagonally to guard against one of King Boo's lashing vines, the tip of which collides with the cold steel of my blade and curls upward before retracting back to the main body with a tug of his stubby wrist. I kept my defense up, slowly walking back with my legs in a bent stance as I thought about how to go about this. The last guardian had a specific body structure that made it invulnerable to physical blows unless it was forced to undergo photosynthesis.

The problem I quickly realized as I lifted my eyes up was that with the current state of the planet, no sunlight shone through the trees, meaning that I'd either have to come up with an alternative method to induce photosynthesis or pray that Mr. Reality didn't give King Boo the same bodily composition as the previous guardian. After thinking things through I quickly looked down just in time to blocked another lashing vine, only this one wraps itself around the blade and gives it a hard tug to try and wrench it from my hands. My arms are suddenly dragged to the front of my body as another vine comes out and assists its "brother" in its effort.

I was surprised by the strength exerted in this pull, as I had to use all of my might to keep my sword in hand while also planting my feet in the ground to avoid being dragged along. "I guess Mr. Reality buffed the enemies he chose so they'd actually be a match for me…" I said quietly before clenching my teeth together and applying a counterforce to King Boo's vines by bending my arms so both hands are on the right side of my body and my blade is now pointed straight in the air in front of my neck, pulling away from my body so the sharpness of my blade can either cut the fibers of the constrictors or slice them apart completely.

Sure enough, my little game of tug'o'war causes my blade to start cutting through the vines, forcing them both to let-go almost instantaneously and retreat to their master as they release an unholy shriek. This clearly upsets King Boo, who wiggles about in the air while letting out another wail with his eyes brimming with a furious, murderous intent and his hanging tongue starting to salivate an acid like substance that burns at the ground below his floating body. The vines wrapped on his arm start to heal, hundreds of thorns protruding out of them as an act of self-defense.

After I tumbled to the right after being taken off balance from all the force I applied to get the vines off, I got on my feet and laid one hand on the ground with my head raised high. As I looked at King Boo's situation I began to wonder if his wails weren't instead from the thorns piercing through his skin, and that the pain was so unbearable that all he could do in his controlled state was scream in agony. It made me feel a bit of pity towards the once proud lord of the Boos, but at the same time I came to the realization that even if Mr. Reality wasn't involved, King Boo would still be my enemy.

However, even if he wasn't my friend, I wasn't about to let a sentient creature continue to endure such pain without them consciously knowing what was going on around them. I got up on my feet and swung my sword around in a circle after loosening the grip on the handle, the tip of the blade scraping against the ground before I held it horizontally pointed at my opponent. I didn't have to kill King Boo to enter the castle, just knock him unconscious. Of course, my worries were sort of moot thanks to the fact that he was already dead, so I just shook my head to help discard that thought and continued to focus on my opponent.

Still, the last seconds proved something to me. If King Boo is capable of being impaled by his own thorns, then that means his body is not currently in a gelatinous form, so I can attack him easily without having to worry about drawing him into sunlight. But for the moment I didn't want to attack, because I'm wise enough to know that plant controllers have many ways of binding their opponents or prey in place for easy attacking or devouring. The last thing I wanted was to charge straight ahead and be scooped up in the sticky, acidic mouth of a venus flytrap.

While defense was still a viable option, its use would now be situational, especially with the more-than-likely poison dripped thorns now added into the mix. It would be easy for the vines to weave themselves around my blade and nick the side of my face. So my first priority was to determine the maximum length the vines could stretch out to, which would then be followed up by me stalling around for a bit to see what other moves King Boo had in his arsenal, then once I had that figured out I would use all that information to my advantage to deal a decisive blow.

After all, Boos have never been known for being durable, so I predicted that it would take one to three slashes from my sword to finish the job. The first part of my plan was initiated by my opponent without any knowledge of what was on my mind, the two thorn covered vines launching towards me after their master turned to glare at me with his frenzied eyes. I performed a backflip, the vines slanting and rising after me and very nearly touching my forehead and nose before they suddenly stop in mid-air with their forms becoming solidified.

As I straightened my body and fell to the ground, I calculated the vine's length, taking into consideration the angled center and the distance between my landing spot and King Boo. "Twelve feet, give or take one to two inches." I murmured the unit of measurement, swiping a line in the ground to mark the exact end point in front of me. From here on out I had to make sure to avoid passing over that line until my opponent was left wide-open. I would also have to pay attention as I ran or jumped left and right so I didn't end up entering the area of circumference that King Boo's vines could reach. Speaking of those fibrous followers, as I thought my next steps through the specter made them go limp, their forms landing on the ground before they retracted around his arms, dragging the dirt and bark on their thorns along the way.

"Alright, time to see what else you go…" I say with a confident grin on my face as I awaited King Boo's next moves. The lord of the ghosts shrieks in a gargled manner, the ground trembling beneath my feet before hundreds of bamboo shoots thrust out of the ground in rows of five at a time. They rise until they are planted about six feet off the ground, and I knew I only had seven seconds at the speeds they were approaching. I dispelled my sword and performed a cartwheel to the left while the sparkles of light were still trailing behind my right palm. The bamboo stopped as it neared the trees, but I knew I wasn't safe just yet.

As I started to land with the bottom of my shirt rising up ever so slightly, I looked to the right and saw King Boo withdraw his tongue for a moment, wiggling it around in his mouth before pushing his lip area outward and firing out a series of seeds my way. I quickly drew my sword into the grasp of my right hand and swung it outright in an arc, the length of my blade staying out long enough to cut through every projectile. After the movement of my limb I twisted my wrist around so my sword is now pointed towards the forest before I land on my feet.

I nearly stumble upon landing, but after a few nervous circular swings of the arms I regain my balance. I turn my entire body around to look at King Boo, and as he prepares another move I take a moment to count how many seeds struck my blade based on the amount of clings I heard ringing in my eardrums. "Seven seeds…Considering how early-game King Boo is, he should only have one more attack up his sleeve." I held my sword backwards, raising my left hand in front of my face in preparation for that final move with my eyes focused towards the castle's entrance with the ghost dead center in my sights.

King Boo's still-closed mouth began to open, two mushroom heads being seen in there that he quickly draws out with his stubby hands and lets his tongue hang out once more. He flings them at me like discuses, the right one being the first tossed with the left following close behind. The red and white spotted surface was harmless, but the acid dripping around the circumference of it was most certainly not. I leapt up over the first mushroom cap, the second one approaching my shoes from the front. I had no way of countering an acidic substance, so instead I quickly came up with a way to deal with the shroom itself.

By using the length of my sword to my advantage, I plunged it diagonally into the center of it, applying enough force to move it downward so my feet can land on top as I finally goes under me. I quickly pull my sword out so my hand isn't jerked out of alignment, and leap off the mushroom cap with enough force that it slams it against the ground and raises a puff of tan dust into the air from below. My body moves towards King Boo, my sword raised in front of me ready to strike him. However, the ghost retracts his tongue and begins to move it around the mouth to create more seeds, the movements rapid out of desperation for his own protection.

In the mean time though, he swings his stubby arms outright, the vines flying out towards me like a slithering serpent. With their easily predict movements all it takes is a swing to the left and a swing to the right in rapid succession to cleave the heads off and silence their movements as a purple, corrosive fluid gushes out of them. By this time King Boo rapid-fires the seeds at me like bullets, but I swing my sword quickly enough to cut down two with every stroke as I descend closer to the lord of the ghosts. Once all eight have been counted in my head and dealt with I landed on the ground before King Boo with my knees bent down halfway.

I then lift myself up, staring straight into the maddening eyes of terror as they show signs of panic for his own life. I had to finish the battle though, even if I did have some regrets attacking someone who clearly had no clue as to what was transpiring before him. I swung my sword upward, jumping so my blade was used in place of an uppercut. The tip of my blade cut across the front of King Boo's face, his majesty's shriek reverting to the high-pitched one the weaker members of his species use in reaction to the damage he just sustained.

With my body now above him, I spin myself around so my head is pointed at the ground, applying weight to my legs so I will land on my feet just in time. I deliver a horizontal slash on King Boo's forehead, the ghoul releasing another pained shriek that sounds weaker than the last one. I land on the ground, King Boo making one last attempt to harm me by pulling his limb vines back so the thorns can puncture my leg muscles. I could tell what he was up to ahead of time though, and after a short hop I let my body fall flat against the ground, the vines flying harmlessly overhead and smacking King Boo right in the cheeks.

The acid dripping from the cut tip leaks onto his pale-green skin, the fizzling and bubbling liquid never once burning past the first layer of ghastly "flesh" as King Boo once again screams in a garbled manner. The screams haunted my consciousness as I pushed myself onto my feet and held my blade behind me in the grasp of both hands and ran towards the left side of the ghost's own figure. "Don't worry, you won't be awake to feel the pain for much longer." I whisper into his ear as I swing my sword against his body to deliver the final blow.

With the cut dragging across the bottom of his body, my dash leads me behind him, the blow causing King Boo to let out a cry of defeat as he lifts himself into the air and twirls around behind me, deflating onto the ground until he is knocked unconscious in a more flattened form. I lifted myself up, kept my sword grasp in my left hand for a few seconds as I turned my head around and made certain that my opponent wouldn't get up for the time being. He remained motionless though, and my worries subsided only a couple moments later.

"That was horrible…" I said to myself in a distressed tone as I put my sword away and held my hands inside of my pant pockets. "He was brainwashed, either by the power of the outer guardian's curse or by Mr. Reality himself…Either way, the culprit is the same being, and I can't help but think about who else has been forced under his control." As I let out an annoyed sigh and looked into the shadows of the Nature Castle, I said to myself hesitantly, "One outer guardian down…Six to go…" And made my way towards the temple's insides.

_Next Time: Facing a Frien_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The First Yet Familiar Inner Guardian**

Having now entered the Nature Castle, I looked at the familiar ruined surroundings, and even behind the shades of green the place still retained the signs of age that it did the last time I was here. "Decaying brimstone and cracks filled with moss…" I sniffed the air, taking in a bit of the dust and rot through my nostrils and quickly bending my head down to cough. "Why…Cough…Did I do that?" I question myself as I then realized something. "Wait a second, why the heck am I coughing if that stuff went into my nose?" After noting my goofy error I lifted my head up in a dignified manner.

"Heh, no wonder the Toads were looking at me, I act like such a nutball sometimes…" As I mentioned that to my lonesome self, the chuckle that follows leads to me withdrawing into other silence, my mind beginning to contemplate the views that others had of me and taking them all to heart. My mood becomes somber as I feel the weight of their opinions piling up on top of me, my body nervously drawing air in through the mouth in order to calm myself down. I try to think happy thoughts, but the atmosphere did little to help my situation.

So with no other options, I lie to myself, thinking in my head, "Hey, who cares what they think?" Which is then followed up by me waving my right hand in front of me as if I was in a conversation with someone and saying quietly, "Yeah…I got friends who don't care how I behave, so who needs to be accepted by strangers, right?" After a half-hearted chuckle, I was satisfied with my response and felt reassured and ready to move on. After all, I can't just waste time focusing on my personal problems when everyone else is in trouble. That's just selfish, and that's not the type of person I want to be.

As I walked ahead I remember how before I needed a torch to see where I was going. Unfortunately, while the wooden bases were available to pull off on the dew drenched walls, I lacked to fire of which I could start them. Not like it mattered much anyways, since my eyes were not only well adjusted to the darkness, but the emerald tone helped light up the environment enough for my advance to be made easier. Though as I walked forward with my arms crossed in front of my chest and all caution tossed away I knew I was forgetting something. "Hmm…" I thought hard about the detail that plagued my mind, and after reaching a certain point in the center of the hallway I stopped all of a sudden and swayed my arms away from my body.

Looking up, I expected to see two massive holes leading to the top of the Nature Castle, only for the ceiling to be completely sealed up. As I calmed my beating heart by standing in place with my head still pointed upward, I nervously grinned and waited a few seconds before returning my eyes to normal and closing my eyelids to release a sigh of relief through my mouth. I then adjusted my pose so my left hand hung against my hip as I used my right arm to swipe across my forehead. "Wait, why am I reacting like this?" I suddenly ask as I calm myself down.

Though really, it was a foolish thing to ask because of how simple the answer was. Loneliness, paranoia, nostalgia, such a volatile blend of emotions was driving me crazy, and I didn't know how to keep control of any of them. I knew I had to keep my head in check for whatever battles lied ahead, but the ridiculousness of my behavior was starting to take its toll on me, and as I grit my teeth I said to myself, "I seriously need to either restore Toad Town or find one of my friends, or I'm going to go INSANE!" With my urgency to find some peace now taking priority over all other thoughts, I charged towards the staircase as fast as I could.

The staircase is a bit unsteady, but I still run up the spiral of steps without any concern until I reach the second floor. I was now in another hallway, and the first thing I said after stopping myself to catch my breath after that sudden burst of speed was, "Oh thank god there are no vines here this time…" I was concerned about every trap being reset after seeing the holes in the ceiling patched up, but it seems that Mr. Reality allowed some of our work from the last trip here to stay intact. "…Heh, now that I think about it, he probably patched the holes so I wouldn't just take a couple leaps to reach my destination."

I congratulated the alien in my mind for having the brains to think matters through, but then another thought arose as I raised my body up. "…And since he wants me to take the long way around, he probably set up new traps for me to deal with." I slapped my forehead, berating myself for assuming even for a second that things would be easy. With the peaceful first floor now behind me, it was time to don my sense of caution and trek slowly across the delicate flooring. One misstep could cause the ground to collapse beneath me, and all things considered the roof would probably come down to crush me as well.

"Nah, that's a bit much for the first temple…" Was the reasoning I used to assure myself that my theory was wrong. Really, it was times like this that I was glad that I had played plenty of video games in my spare time, cause the levels of savviness I gained from them really come in handy for places like this. "I guess another thing I should watch out for is the classic, 'Boulder from the ceiling' trap." I made a joke to lighten the mood, only to shake off such a notion with a shift of my head. "Nah, that would be something for the Terra Cave. Though honestly, the environment is very fitting for such a trap."

As I stared at the walls that surrounded me, I inched closer to the next familiar obstacle and began to think of something. "Heh, I think I get how this is going to work. Obviously, the traps I believe are going to happen aren't going to happen, because Mr. Reality noted my perceptiveness and thus set up traps that aren't going to be easily noticed. He isn't going to use the same traps I dealt with on my previous journey because they'd be easy to solve with my reliable memory. Therefore, I have to rule out all the obvious traps and just deal with the rest as they come along." It wasn't the most brilliant of deductions, but until I went through a temple or two it was all I had to work with.

Either way, my thoughts took my attention away long enough for me to reach the edge of a long pit filled to the brim with poison dripped spikes. "Poison and acid…Geez, would it be too hard to ask for a little more variety in these plant-based locations?" I said with my arms folded in front of my chest and my head raised towards the ceiling. I was hoping that something had been set up for me to swing across, but those very hopes were dashed as I caught something out of the corner of my eyes and looked down to see some sticks and ropes melting away between the spikes. I sighed, bemoaning to myself, "Just like last time…"

The familiarity of things thus far was admittedly starting to grate on my nerves, but I just decided to roll with it for the time being since honestly, I had no choice in the matter. I turned my body to the left, saying in a submissive yet sarcastic tone, "I could waste time bitching, but who would that benefit?" as I examined the wall for the trigger that opened the way to a passageway that would allow me to completely skip the thorn pit. Though how exactly I would activate that trigger was something of a mystery, since the last time around Mario was the one who figured it out while me and Driad focused on a giant vine that was thrusting itself at us.

…Ugh, I'm going to be saying "last time" far too often during this quest. ANYWAYS, as I bent down I looked towards the ground and noticed that there was a part of the wall where a brick wasn't in place. Curious as to this choice in design, I lowered my right hand and curved my fingers into the small crevice, rubbing the tips against the wall on the other side in hopes of finding something to press. After a few seconds with the right side of my body pressed against the moss-covered bricks and my tongue licking against my lips to salivate it, my pointer finger rubbed up against the bottom of a curved object that I predicted was about a half an inch thick.

Though it was a pain to push part of my arm through the crevice to reach the button, I succeeded in my goal, for the pushing of the button led to a portion of the wall shifting forward and releasing a bundle of dust from all sides before it pulls itself into the passageway. I get my arm out just in time before it is scraped across the ground, and stand up to see the door fit perfectly into a hole in the wall ahead of me. "Huh, it didn't do that the last time…" I say. On one hand, it was nice to finally see a little differentiation in the temple, but on the other hand it just made me a bit nervous to walk into the passage. Just to be safe, I peeked my head into it and rested my chin against the edge of the wall.

I could tell that something was amiss though from the way the temple suddenly started to rumble. It was light at first, a harmless tremor I thought, but then I recalled something that happened before and my heart started racing as the intensity of the rumbles increased. The vast, black hallway was suddenly filled with the violent form of a long, thick, slithering rose and black vine. The head flailed about as it approached my face, snarling like a rampant demon much to my surprise. As my heart continued to pound against my chest I smiled brightly and leapt back away from the entrance as the vine tried to thrust itself between the moss infused bricks to reach me.

The head was the only thing that made it through, and that was just barely. The impact with the edges of the passageway caused the room to become unsettled, and a cave-in could've been imminent were it not for the temple's structure maintaining its strength even after all this time. Even so, as I plastered my arms and legs on the wall behind me with my heart continuing to pound and adrenaline pumping through my veins, I cocked a half-hearted grin and widened my eyes slightly as sweat dripped down my forehead. "Now this…This is more like it!" I said with a bountiful amount of exuberance in my voice.

My body was all riled up now after narrowly escaping that unexpected obstacle. This was the type of excitement I needed to keep me focused, something to keep me from thinking about the familiarity of these temples I will be traversing. Still, this vine needs to go for me to continue onward, so I drew my sword into my right head and approaching the flailing head. With a swift swing in front of me I cut part of the tip clean off, the portion flying towards the spike pit and dissolving in a matter of seconds after letting out a dying screech. Having now suffered damage, the rest of the lumbering vine slinked back into the passageway to mend itself.

With my way through now freed up, I dispelled my sword and energetically ran into the passage, reaching the other side in a matter of seconds while noticing the whimpering vine rejuvenating its fibers in a hole befitting its girth. "I guess I won't be returning this way…" I say as I exit the passage with my head looking back at it. Either way, my exit didn't matter at the moment, since my way ahead was now completely freed up. I made my way to the staircase nice and slow, folding my arms behind my head and whistling a pleasant tune to keep my present mood intact.

The trek to the next floor goes off without a hitch, my arms slinking down to my sides as I take a look at my surroundings. If the sunlight still existed, it would light up this room through the six rectangular windows on each wall, but as it stood now it was hard to see much of anything. The moss-covered pillars were still there keeping the place supported, and at the very end was a leaf covered throne that was decaying without end. It was then I thought of something and crossed my arms to deeply think about it, "Now that I'm here, how am I going to restore my powers?" Was the question I asked in my head.

There was really no clear answer. There was no sign of an Elemental Stone on the throne, and even if there was I doubt it would help my situation since those aren't enough to restore my powers. As I continued to think about this problem, I suddenly heard a voice whispering to me from afar, which made me thrust my eyelids open in surprise. _"Plant your blade into the throne…"_ There was something familiar about the wise tone the voice took, but I couldn't put my finger on it as to just who it belonged to. Still, I felt that I could trust what they had to say, and decided to summon my sword and walk slowly towards the throne as they suggested I should.

I didn't really feel like being cautious. After all, without the Elemental Stones there wouldn't be any inner guardians for me to worry about, so I could just put my sword into the throne and hopefully get part of my powers back. But as I edged closer to the throne I heard someone else's footsteps in the general vicinity. I froze in place and shifted my body to the right, looking at the pillars where the sounds came from only to find nothing in sight. Assuming that I was only hearing things, I shook my head and looked back towards the throne, continuing on my way undeterred by anymore noise.

However, a new sensation overtook my thoughts, a feeling of bloodlust protruding from behind that signaled to me that I was in danger. I didn't stop this time though, instead moving my eyes to the right and left cautiously while advancing to see how the one responsible for this sensation would then react. Once I was only ten feet away from the throne, the being took action, the clink of metal heard as they draw a blade from their holster and kick themselves off the ground to head my way. Feeling their aerial approach, I spun myself around, placing my feet firmly into the ground and holding my sword out horizontally with one hand to block a sword strike from my opponent. My blade is forced to be pointed diagonally, but I am able to keep up my defense against the pressure of this precise strike. As I turn my head to see who I was fighting, my eyes widened in fear and shock, for I couldn't believe for even a second that he was floating in the air before me.

Clad in a small set of oak wood samurai armor while both his vine arms grasped the handle of his Rose-bladed katana was my old friend Driad. As he continued to press his blade against my own, I noticed that while his eyes were obscured by the shadow of his helmet, he had a furious smirk spread on his yellow, flowery face. "D-Driad?" I said out of nervous confusion, hoping deeply for some type of response. Without warning, Driad lifts his head up, and I find that his eyes have changed. Instead of pure black ovals placed vertically, they had become golden-brown with pale black pupils while the eyes themselves were now placed horizontally on his face.

It was rather disturbing to look at, but as much as I wanted to believe that this was a fake created by Mr. Reality, the fact of the matter was that there was no change to Driad's energy signature. He was the real deal, and he has been mind controlled to fight against me. That was the reality, and I had no choice but to accept it. After our blades grinded against each other for a few more seconds, Driad backflipped away from me, using his mind to summons hundreds of vines and roots to cover the throne behind me so I wouldn't be able to plant my sword into it.

It was all layered on thick, and after looking at them for a moment I turned towards Driad as he landed on the ground and started to giggle in a ghastly, echoing tone. I raised my eyebrow as I eased my body back into a normal position with my sword pointed towards the ground. A thin layer of leaf-green fog started to settle in the air, the abysmal atmosphere becoming rather unsettling in a matter of seconds as Driad raised his head up high and started to laugh like a lunatic with his eyelids sealed tight. The echoing madness in his voice lasts for what feels like forever, and once he had finished his uncharacteristic behavior he creaked his eyelids open slightly and glared over at me.

"I can't believe you actually came here." He said to me, his once innocent tone discarded in favor of a more mature, crazed one. "What do you mean?" I asked while slanting my eyebrows to return his glare with one of my own. Driad holsters his sword and holds his right vine in front of his body while continuing to smirk at me with arrogance. "You think you are such tough shit huh? Just because you were handed your powers on a silver platter you think you can just conquer anything that stands in your way? Well what about the rest of us who work hard to obtain our strength? I realized long ago how stupid and futile it is to try and strive to become as strong as the Elemental Overlord, since the gap is so big and a glory-hog like you would never allow an inferior specimen such as me to take the credit even if by some miracle I did manage to catch up. It makes me sick just thinking about how much of a fool I was to try and look up to someone like you, especially after you abandoned me when I needed you the most! Well I'm not kissing your ass any longer Elemental Overlord! I'm going to free myself from being damned to subordination by killing you, and when I do people will have no choice but to recognize the strength I got from MY hard work, while they recognize the fraud of a god you truly are!"

Those words hurt me, far more than any other cut simply because of the person I heard them from. However, it was from his very rant that I realized and recognized just what Mr. Reality had done to my friend. What I was seeing before me was the Driad who never wished to be seen, the side of him that was hidden away to avoid the negative perceptions of his peers. But as I thought about my revelation I couldn't help but scowl at the alien's decision, cursing the bastard out in my head for forcing this side of Driad out. There was also a part of me that wanted to deny that what I heard him say wasn't what the Crayzee Dayzee truly felt, but I knew right away that if I said the correct words that my troubles would increase tenfold.

"You aren't Driad, how dare you pretend to be him!" I repeat the trigger in my mind as I grasp the handle of my sword with both hands and raise it in front of my face so the blade covers my mouth. My piercing glare reflects off of its surface as I look at Driad. As he appeared to me now, he had a weapon and was perfectly capable of fighting, so I figured that I would be able to best him so long as I don't try to deny what he really is. The first step towards doing that was obvious, I had to acknowledge the points in his long-winded rant so he would lower his guard as he fights me. "Alright then Driad, since you feel that way about me, then I will not deny your view. Show me what you've achieved with your hard work and try your best to end me!"

**The Jealous, Forgotten Child: Shadow Driad**

Driad charged at me with blade at the ready. He swung forth to try and cut down my legs, but I slanted my blade with the handle loosely gripped and blocked it with ease. The strength of his blow causes my weapon to twirl around, my arm moving away from my body so I am not cut in the process of waiting for the blade to get to the proper position. When it points into the air I firmly grasp the handle once more, moving my legs back before bringing my sword down towards Driad's helmet. My friend parries the blow with a swing of his wood protected right vine, only for my blow to knocked him back a few feet due to how unprepared he was to withstand my strength.

After I see him force himself to a halt by planting his feet into the floor's cracks, I rush ahead with caution. His next move was expected, he would summon vines from the ground to constrict me, and with his morals seemingly tossed aside he would chop my head clean off. That's what most fighters of his nature would try to do anyways, and him pushing his vines into the ground just reinforces my concerns. With the short gap I quickly close-in, leaping into the air the moment I sense vibrations in the ground and spinning my body so my head is pointed at my opponent. I grasp my sword in both hands and swing it, the weight of my weapon carrying me around in a circle many times like a whirling buzz saw to pressure Driad into raising his blade up above his helmet and pressing his arms against the dull side to keep me from breaking through it.

As the tip of my sword grinds against the shining rosy metal, I notice that my efforts manage to put a few scratches into it. I then slow myself down by dispelling my sword momentarily so I can time my landing just right. All the while the vines finally erupt from the ground in front of my friend, the dried, decaying flora wrapped around them representing the darker part of Driad's psyche. After flailing about they are consumed by black flames and wilt into ashes that fall into the holes they emerge from. I land on the ground and immediately turn myself around, nearly tripping over my legs as I take my blade and brandish it before me to taunt my opponent as he creaks his head to the right to glare at me with fury.

I knew there was only one way I would be able to win. A "Shadow", as Driad's current state can currently be called, cannot be truly defeated, but instead subdued for a brief period of time. Honestly, I was perfectly fine with that, since I only needed to knock him out to get him to lose his focus on the vines and roots wrapped around the throne. Though I hated the fact that I had to fight a close friend of mine, I was thankful to Mr. Reality for making Driad my first opponent inside of the temples instead of someone stronger. All I had to do now was break a hole in his armor and punch him hard enough to knock him to the floor unconscious and the rest should simply fall into place from there.

It was a good thing that out of all the elements, Nature had the most easily telegraphed attacks of them all. I also hate to admit, but while Driad has a few moments of brilliance, for the most part he is a bit aloof, and I could tell amidst his shadowy aura that that trait of his has remained intact, so I had no reason to fear him launching multiple moves my way. "Sorry Driad, but I can't really be held liable for this…" I murmur to myself, and in a way I once again cursed Mr. Reality for forcing me into this scenario. Now was not the time for anymore silence, especially when my opponent finally broke his to turn around and continue the battle with a headfirst charge.

The most troublesome part of Driad's fighting style was not the plants he could summon, but the sword he used in combination with those moves. His vine arms allowed him to strike from different lengths, and vines bursting from the ground aren't the only way someone like him can paralyze a foe. As I thought about this key part of his fighting style, he hovered above the ground, increased his speed, and swung right at me. I drew my blade in defiance of his attack, but with little time to brace myself my entire body is dragged backwards along the tile-rock floor for a total of fifteen feet, the heels of my shoes kicking up some of the tiles away from me as they move between the cracks.

The only reason I stop is because Driad's momentum comes to an end, his feet planting into the ground as he wraps both of his arms tightly around the handle to strengthen the pressure he is using against my blade. Now was the best time for me to disarm him while he was so focused on the obstacle in front of him. As I kept my sword at arms length to defend myself I looked into his eyes. They were staring up at me, my calm expression being the cause of his irritated focus. He was not looking downward, which is where I planned to strike from, so before he realized what was up I pulled my right leg back until the toes of my shoe are pressing against the edge of a rather loose tile.

This also worked in my favor in regards to distracting Driad, for his eyes shifted for only a moment, leading me to believe that he saw my leg's movements as an act of me strengthening my own defense. I waited a few more seconds, budging the tile a couple centimeters so it is raised at the proper angle for the launch. "1...2...3...Now!" My eyes flared up as I ended the countdown in my head, my foot rising upward to send the tile flying through the air. Right before that I dispelled my sword, using the momentum of my kick to backflip from Driad's sword as it falls down and leaves his face wide-open to my project.

The tile shatters against his face and helmet, the impact leaving him dizzy while the dust cloud afterwards blinds him from everything around him for a few more seconds. In that span of time I landed on the ground, leaning my body forward at a sixty-five degree angle before calling my sword and running at my friend. My head was level with his armor, and I moved my arms over my head and grasped the handle of my weapon with both hands and performed the first slash. It was swift, seeing as I needed to get enough blows in before Driad recovers. I could feel the wood trying to stop me from breaking through as I continued to swing my sword at it, but the sharpness of my blade wasn't about to let itself be stopped no matter how much resistance went against it.

I was able to get nine cuts in before I was forced to pull back and stand up straight, grinding myself to a halt and leaping over Driad as his vision returns. He lets out an echoing cough due to some of the dust entering his mouth, but by that time I had landed behind him, where I heard the bits of armor I cut off falling to the ground in a series of clunks. "Phase one complete…" A said in a joyous tone without letting my opponent hear that my scheme was still in motion. The Crayzee Dayzee turned around after a leap, and I twisted my head to see him looking at me with his eyes widened with seething jealousy.

"You just can't let me have anything at all, can you? You are always taking everything from me. My significance, my self-esteem, and even your life! I've had enough of your bullcrap!" The "Shadow" was breaking down, the cries of hatred becoming nonsensical in their meaning. I was succeeding in my efforts, and I was undamaged thus far to boot. It was a good thing too, since I can't rest so long as Toad Town is the way it is. I turned my entire body around, waiting for Driad to charge at me once more so I could deal the final blow. I didn't respond to his words as he ran my way with his sword held furiously above his helmet and his mouth widening to release the brunt of his anger in the form of a bellowing scream.

I didn't worry, I dispelled my sword and kept my arms at my side. "I want my friend back…" I thought to myself. "If he has his issues with me, then it is imperative now more than ever that I free him from Mr. Reality's control." I continued to think as Driad was only ten feet away from my body. I clenched my right fist, closing my eyelids and relying on the sound of his approaching footsteps to determine when to strike. "I'm sorry again Driad, but I hope you forgive me whenever you wake up." This final sentence fell on deaf ears as I whispered it through my lips.

With a short burst of speed I kneeled down, leaned forward and thrust my right fist straight into Driad's vulnerable chest right as he began to bring his blade down. The first thing I notice as my eyes look into his is that they have widened from the sudden pain I have brought down upon him. The sharp edge of his sword was buried into my hair, but as I could see his vines sinking downward the blade cut off a few of my hairs as the weapon itself dropped to the floor to the right of him. I pulled my fist away, my knuckles covered in a sticky green substance as I lifted my body up and looked at them. In a matter of seconds, Driad collapsed onto the ground, my fight against him now complete.

Though this victory wouldn't be permanent if I stood around doing nothing. As I turned my body around to head towards the now freed up throne, I whispered in a guilty tone, "I can't ever take that back…" I spread my fingers out and called forth my sword so I wouldn't have to see the stains caused by my actions. "Whether you remember what I've done or not, I just want you to forgive me…" My thoughts were only on my friend as I put one foot on the second step of the throne and look at the seat, where a pin shaped hole was releasing a miniature pillar of pure green light for me to see. "Well, this had better work." I said as I spun my sword around so the blade was pointed downward and held the sharp tip above the hole.

I planted my blade straight into the throne, a "Schink!" ringing through into my eardrum as the light suddenly erupts around the sword in a wave-like spread. And then that very light blooms throughout the entire room in a flash, my eyes being blinded by it for a brief period of ten seconds before I can see things again, albeit with my vision now a bit blurred. It took a while for me to adjust to the environment, but I pulled my sword out of the throne as I felt a weird yet familiar type of energy flowing into my body in an ethereal form. "Did I…Do it?" I asked myself as I blinked a few times and my sight returned.

I lifted my sword up, moving one of my fingers aside to check the triggers on the handle. My eyes and lips widened in glee as I saw that one of the triggers had become green once more, signifying the return of my ability to control plants. It was a rather tame ability, but it was better to be outfitted with a squirt gun than nothing at all. "…Actually, that comparison would've been better if I had gotten my water powers back first…" I said while staring blankly at the area in front of me. It was from that blank stare that I noticed something else had changed besides my sword. The color had returned to the temple in full. No longer would I have to glare at the emerald-green walls and fog, and what was even more relieving was that the sunlight flourish through the windows once more.

As I enjoyed the splendor of the sun's rays beating down on me I realized something rather important to my situation. "Oh!" I cried out in shock, swiftly turning around to see Driad's unconscious body on the ground, where I could see that he had reverted to his original, Crayzee Dayzee appearance. I ran over to his body, dispelling my sword and kneeling down to pick him up with both of my arms. I flipped him around so I could take a look at his face. Sure enough, his eyes had gone back to being vertical, so he was no longer a "Shadow".

In fact, he looked rather peaceful now, his lips grinning as he occasionally opened them and mumbled pleasant sounds while he enjoyed his slumber. I felt as though I was cradling a newborn child, and this face of innocence rejuvenated my resolve more than restoring a portion of my powers could ever hope to have done. The return of color to this temple made me think back to Toad Town, in that it may have been restored thanks to my efforts. "I better go back and check…" I said as I lifted my head up and looked towards the exit, walking towards it after letting out a sigh of relief. "One element down, six to go…" I reminded myself as I left the room behind…

_Next Time: Rest and Train, the Master's continuous cycle_


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note  
**

Before we begin I'd like to say something that's been bugging me for a while

The lack of reviews or comments on these chapters. Not just for this story, but for Part 2 as well. I KNOW people are reading this, especially now that has given authors the ability to see how many views their stories are getting per day. I'm not asking for well-written criticisms unless you really want to go through the trouble of saying them to me, but rather I'd like maybe for some of you guys to say "Nice story" or "I liked this chapter" Simple things like that will not only better motivate me to continue this story, but will also reveal to others that maybe this story is worth checking out, and eventually a big enough fanbase could form and allow a multitude of people to talk to each other about this story or other things as well.

So you see, I'm not thinking primarily about myself here, but of you the readers as well. So yeah, you don't have to take note of my simple request, but I just wanted to toss it out there for the time being. Go ahead and enjoy this chapter now.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Relaxation Before Stage Two**

I made my way outside of the Nature Castle with Driad still in my arms. The giant vine on the second floor had vanished, so I was able to take the passage with no other difficulties. I looked at the ground as I walked under the slits of sunlight seeping through the trees. King Boo was gone, obviously having taken off after being freed from Mr. Reality's control. I didn't need to concern myself with him though, since he didn't stick around to bother me. All I needed to do was slip between the pristine, restored trees in the forest before me and make my way back to the entrance of the Osagi Woods so I'm at a more safe location to let my friend rest and heal.

He was snoring, the murmurs having ended a minute or two ago much to his and my relief. The drawing of his "Shadow" from his subconscious clearly drained a lot out of him, but it is not like his fight against me did him any favors either. Even with his current condition, I thought to myself as I went through the forest, "What am I going to tell him when he wakes up?" He clearly had a problem with me, his inner thoughts were revealed to me against his will, and not a single one of them were pleasant. I still feel some concern as I hear his words repeating in the confines of my mind.

Then again, there was still one thing I was thinking about. Did I really fight Driad's "Shadow", or was everything a setup by Mr. Reality to try and make me reluctant to fight my friend? There was just something about the way Driad's "Shadow" spoke that was convincing me to look away from my theory, but at the same time there was no way to confirm that either scenario was true save for the way Driad's eyes looked as I thought him. Whatever the answer, there were some frightening implications in regards to this "game" on both sides.

First, if Mr. Reality is only controlling their minds, then that says a lot about how callous and empathy-less he truly is, while it also explains the lengths of which he will go to keep this game going. The problem is that if this is true, it begs the question as to why he is allowing me so much free will when he could have me thinking and walking whatever and wherever he wanted me to with just a thought. Then again, who is to say that he didn't do before the game started? As a shiver went down my spine, I rationalized that my concerns couldn't be true, simply because of the Chronicler's very existence, which was someone the reality warper couldn't have foreseen appearing.

Anyways, the second theory was a little less concerning, but still one of great importance. If Mr. Reality is drawing out people's "Shadows", that means that the temple's have merged with the Midnight Channel, a realm of unknown origin and purpose. I recall the events of the "game" where the realm originated from, and worry about what will happen to Plit if the place is allowed to exist for a prolonged period of time. Things are fine enough right now, and it seems the Midnight Channel will vanish in certain parts of the world if I plunge my sword inside of the temples. However, if things are allowed to continue for too long, who is to say that the more demonic "Shadows" won't start to appear and wreak havoc across the planet?

If it was possible for me to do so, I needed to ask Mr. Reality some questions about the nature of his game. For now though, I needed to keep going forward while the sun was still up. After my long period of thinking I finally exit the thicket of trees, discarding the pressing conundrum from my mind as I notice something relieving off in the distance. Beyond the lively grassy plains was Toad Town, restored to its former glory without a single trace of grey or white present where it shouldn't be. "Oh thank heavens…" I say with an exasperated sigh.

Now I can return there and get Driad back to Mario's house where he will be nice and cozy until he wakes up. As I cross the plains I lift my head up high. Though the skies above the areas I restored were as blue as a sunlit sea, everything else was still wiped clean of its colors. "I guess they will stay that way until I restore the Sky Temple…Ugh, that might end up being more difficult than I realize." I was referring to my lack of flight when I thought about the difficulties of that particular temple. After all, it was located just around Nimbus Land, and since I couldn't fly and the place was like turned into a zombie land by Mr. Reality, I won't be able to just hitch a ride on the Nimbus Bus to get there.

"Bah, why am I worrying about that?" I say, shaking my head to dispel my early concerns. "That's two temples away, a solution should present itself before then." After that, it only takes me a minute to make it back to Toad Town, where I passed by Peach's Castle and noticed that the front doors were swarming with guard Toads, their spears raised in steady defiance of anything that would try and enter the castle. They turned their eyes over to me, cocking their weapons ready to attack me if I were to ever get too close. "So much for going and checking on Peach's condition…" I said, seeing that such a kind gesture was the least I could do since Mario didn't appear to be around.

I quickly left the area, the guards failing to notice the Crayzee Dayzee resting in my arms. I made certain to avoid going too fast, lest I trip over a rock and fall onto the ground with Driad pressed under the weight of my body. The center of town was bustling with activity, so much in fact that it was hard to tell that this place was a reality warped wasteland where all of the citizens were turned into mindless flesh devouring zombies. Either way, at least now I would no longer have to worry about feeling alone on my journey. Not only did I rescue one of my allies from the grasp of Mr. Reality, but now I had a lively city to return to every time I finished up a temple.

I could sense the cloud of concern vanishing from my mind, lifting my head up and sniffing in the chill air that flowed in from the brisk creek to the east before pausing just as I was about ready to enter the west part of town. Driad was wiggling about slightly in my arms, mumbling to himself, "I…Don't want to be let..doooo-" The last word trailed off as he curled his vines to the side of his head and positioned himself on my arms to go back to sleep. From the way he spoke, he was in the middle of experiencing a pleasant dream, and it would be rude of anyone to interrupt it.

The reason I stopped was so my movement didn't upset Driad's balance, but since he has now calmed down I continued on towards the pipe that would lead me to Mario's house. This was the most active part of town, and I saw a circle of Toads bunched together near where the pipe was. Curious, I tilted my head to the right and proceeded to walk over after muttering "Huh?" and returning my head back to normal. As I was taller than the shroom citizens, I was able to look over their rounded caps and see what they are gathered to look at.

The pipe was monochrome instead of green, but unlike the environment I saw before there was a black haze leaking out of the hole with an ominously white glow surrounding it. "What is going on here?" I asked in hopes that one Toad would be willing to answer my question. After a few seconds, a green-capped Toad in the back row turns around and looks up at me. Their eyes widen momentarily, obviously noting the presence of Driad in my arms before saying, "I'm as clueless as you are buddy. First that limbless alien shows up out of nowhere and causes a bit of damage, and the next thing you know I wake up standing entirely still with my arms stretched out in front of me."

The Toad copies the pose he was in as described in his sentence, and after a shrug of the shoulders he looks at me and says, "Say, haven't I seen you somewhere before? And just why do you have Driad resting on your arms?" Even though it would be easy to just say that I was the Elemental Overlord, I really couldn't call myself that. If anything, I was currently the Plant Overlord, and that isn't exactly a title that sparks a feeling of remembrance now is it? "I've been getting the 'Your look familiar' comments a lot since I arrived, but I'm not anyone you know, I assure you that. As for why I have Driad, I found him unconscious in the Osagi Woods and was going to take him to Mario's house to recuperate."

It was clear that no one in town had any recollection of being a zombie, so telling them about what happened since I arrive would do nothing but raise suspicion, especially since Mr. Reality was targeting me and all. At the very least, this confirmed that Driad wouldn't remember his "Shadow" or the things he said to me when he awoke, so I was safe in that department. For now, my little lie would have to do. The Toad doesn't raise a brow in suspicion, instead saying, "Well, I don't know what type of relation you have to Mr. Mario to be allowed entrance into his house, but I would advise avoiding the pipe for now, since there is no telling what may happen if you enter."

With his cautionary words given, I chose to heed them as he turned back around to look at the pipe. I heard some murmurs from the rest of the citizens, most of them wondering where Mario and Luigi were during all of this, which was something I pondered as well as I spun my body around and walked away from the scene of confusion. If anything, the pipe was probably corrupted due to the area where Mario's house is being taken over by Mr. Reality. I was wanting to give Driad a nice place to rest, but I guess for now the Toad House would have to do.

Of course, considering how serene Driad was at the moment, I don't think he would really care as to where he wakes up at. I headed back to the center of town, moving towards the house that lies near the east exit to Koopa Road carefully. I don't know what was more amazing at this point. The fact that Driad has stayed in my arms for all this time, or that my muscles haven't been worn out from keeping them in this position for so long. "Oh well, I should just stay diligent instead of complaining about such a minor issue." I said after sighing and lifting my head up slightly.

"It would at least be nice to know when Driad is going to wake up…He is strong, I know that, but is his subconscious capable of recovering from such a penetration?" That was the question pressing me at that moment, but one that could wait until later to be solved. I approached the door after lifting my feet up onto a higher plateau, lifting my knee to knock on the wood since my arms were preoccupied still. I could tell the sounds echoed on the inside for the owner to hear, and I received an answer when the door was pulled back into the house to reveal a red-capped Toad grabbing onto the side of it.

It didn't take long for the Toad to recognize the being in my hands, and an even shorter amount of time for me to explain why he was as he was. I used the same lie I did with the guy near the pipe, and once he bought it the Toad let me in and said that I could put Driad down at no cost to him. I did offer to give him some money for his troubles, especially since this kind act of mine is going to prevent other tourists from resting, but he just waved his hand at me and told me to forget about it. As I folded my arms in front of my chest and watched the Toad tuck Driad under one of his finely knit sheets, I realize just how much I had forgotten about the generosity expressed by the citizens of this lovely town.

I wanted to stay behind and see Driad wake up, but I was on a schedule. I turned around and looked beyond the open door into the sky, where I saw that the sun was beginning to set. I needed to make it to the Aqua Palace and restore it before it became nighttime. Luckily, my trip would be short, since the temple in question was right in the area. I turned my head and quietly said goodbye to Driad, giving a more vocal, thankful farewell to the Toad as I exited the house and closed the door behind me.

"Alright, so all I need to do is go South and hopefully…" I stopped in the center of town near the statue of my likeness, leaning my arms horizontally against my chest without bringing them together while turning my head to look at the horizon set ahead of me. The skies looked monochrome above the docks, meaning that at least one part of town was not fully restored by my efforts in the Nature Castle. "Yeah that figures…" I sigh, hoping at the very least that that part of Toad Town didn't have any citizens in it before it was taken over, or if so that no one was foolish enough to walk into the space.

Last thing I wanted to do was run into more zombies. After all, even if I could now defend myself I simply wouldn't on the basis that I would be attacking innocent civilians. As I pondered my concerns with all my concentration, I heard some footsteps approaching me from the right side of my body. I turned my head, and who else would show up but the Master, his arms folded into the sleeves of his robe as he raises his head slightly and looks at me with his eyes looking as though they have underwent a lot of stress in the few hours since I last saw him.

"Hey, what happened to you? You look as though you've seen a ghost." I said with concern put towards his appearance. The Master shakes off my question for a moment, folding his arms behind him as he walks across the ground until he is front of me. He doesn't look at me as he then says, "I saw and heard worse things than that Overlord Mewmaster…The grumbles of my fellow species as they wandered like the undead they had become, the screams of everyone else as they tried to run from that alien's unholy powers to no avail, and the desperate pleas of the Star Spirits as they…Well, I have no idea what happened to them, but I can only imagine the suffering they are enduring as they are trapped in their own sanctuary."

I was surprised by his response. From the sounds of things, the Master had been able to keep a hold on his mind while the town was paved in monochrome, and the things he witnessed were horrifying beyond all belief, hence why he looked tired now. It all strained his mind, but for him to approach me after all that just goes to prove how strong-willed he was. There was one thing about what he said that had me drawing a bead of sweat from my forehead. "Wait…What did you just say about the Star Spirits?"

"I'm connected to them, having formed a pact long ago to gain immortality, knowledge and power in exchange for offering to train certain chosen people in the way of wisdom and strength. But that is a long story that would keep you away from your goal, so I shall keep this simple. Thanks to that alien's reality warping powers, I've lost my connection to the Star Spirit's power, and I can no longer sense their presence. I wouldn't say they have departed from the world of the living, but rather the alien" "Mr. Reality" I interrupted so the Master could know his name, to which he quickly corrects himself and continues by saying, "Mr. Reality set up an interference field or did some other method of incapacitation to keep them from interfering in the world's affairs."

I could tell that the Master was questioning in his mind as to why he had to say such a ridiculous name, but nonetheless he turned around and looked up at my worried expression, grinning and saying to me, "So how have things been going for you?" in such a calm tone that I was wondering as to just how concerned he was about the Star Spirit's current condition. Then again, knowing him he probably was looking deep inside me and found hope in this situation, which gave him no reason to focus on such concerns.

I widened my eyes briefly in surprise, stammering out the word, "F-F-Fine, I guess." Before spending the next few minutes explaining to him the truth, seeing as he is the closest person I got that knows about what is going on. When I was done, the Master raised one hand to his chin and leaned his head forward. "Interesting, so this 'Midnight Channel' you speak of originated from another world that exists in a video game format on your world?" I nodded my head, surprised by how well the Master was taking my news as he folds his arms into his robe and once again looks up at me.

"It is not like some people in our world haven't dabbled in the affairs of other worlds before, and this is also not the first time our planet has been invaded by a supernatural phenomena. However, I do wish to express some genuine concern over your theory about what could happen if the 'Midnight Channel' continues to exist on Plit. I'll take that all into consideration and keep it a secret until you are able to save more of the heroes from their fates, for that you have my word." The Master perfectly combined understanding, trust and tranquility into his words, weaving together sentences that left me satisfied for having conferred to him what I knew.

"Now then, remember earlier today when I said to you that I would be willing to teach you a few things about your elemental powers?" The elderly Toad changes the subject quickly, but it was done in such a refined manner that I couldn't help but be impressed. "Yeah. Since I got my Nature powers back, will you be willing to-" "Actually, you need not worry about training that power. You already proved yourself well-knowing of the element." I couldn't help but express confusion over this response with a "Huh?" after a momentary pause.

"I saw you carry the quiescent Driad over to the Toad House, how you did nothing to disturb him despite there being many opportunities for you to save time by running. 'Let Nature Take Its Course' is a phrase that you should be familiar with, and there are so many truths hidden in just those five words. In this case, allowing him to sleep and recover in peace was what proved that you know many of the truths buried in that phrase. You are worthy to go into battle with your respect over the delicate balance of nature, Mewmaster. As for me, I am going to retreat to my dojo and meditate for a bit with a guest of mine over a cup of Koopa Tea. For now, I bid you adieu."

The Master turned around, treading the ground lightly as he retreated from sight. It was nice to know I had someone to confer to about what I knew, especially when the person in question was as wise as he is. After taking a sniff of the brisk afternoon air, I pushed my hands into my pockets and made my way towards the docks, smiling at every Toad I met to lower their suspicions. Needless to say, the uneventful trip took only a minute to finish, and I found myself only a few feet away from the line that splits the real world away from the monochrome landscape plagued by an emotionless atmosphere.

"I'm going to have to dive in once more…" I said, sighing and taking my right hand to the back of my head to lament my next move. "I know this is for the good of the people and all, but once I head in I'll once again be without any company…" As I voiced my concerns to no one but myself, I opened my eyelids and heard the slow rattling of chains inside of the docks in front of me. I looked at the grey expanse, and who else would be there but the Eternity Chronicler, his left hand withdrawing into his humble cloak before he says to me, "We meet again, Overlord Mewmaster…Come on inside, I have something I wish to say to you…"

_Next Time: The Underwater Battle Against the Beast with Three Head_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The Watchdogs of the Depths**

I did not know where the sound of chains came from, but as the Chronicler invited me over to speak I quickly forgot about the noise and made my way into the monochrome realm, my colors being retained as I turn my head around and notice that I can no longer see into Toad Town. There was a massive wall of fog built up, something of which would leave one wondering just how the Chronicler knew I was behind it were it not for my knowledge of his omniscience. I turned to him, his arms folded together gently as he creaked the upper part of his robe up to gaze into my curious eyes.

"What do you want to say?" I asked, folding my arms as I turned to face his shrouded expression. He chuckled, not menacingly but happily, at my inquiry. "First off, I wish to congratulate you on restoring one-seventh of the planet to its natural state, while also reclaiming the Nature element you were so wrongfully robbed of." His first words were filled with praise for my accomplishment, one of which I could not sully with any remark as I grinned and let out a chuckle through my pearly teeth. His next comment, however, did away with my grin as he reminded me of the obvious, "Don't get too happy, you still have six temples to go."

"Right, right, I knew that." I said as a rebuttal to ensure the Chronicler that I wasn't get too arrogant in the head. I swung my arms out to the sides of my body, moving it until I was standing diagonally before saying to him, "Is that all you have to say? Cause if so then I'm going to get a move on to the Aqua Palace if that's alright with you." "As a matter of fact, that was not all I had to articulate to you." He said in a wise tone, the gargled sound in his voice returning after a brief period of absence. "I wanted to tell you a bit of this tale I had stored in my library, of a person you may or may not be familiar with."

It was a rather weird time to tell me a story, I thought as I looked at him with my right eyebrow raised in an awkward fashion. "Really now?" "Yes. But don't worry, I know you are a busy teenager and would rather not listen to the words of an omnipresent spirit, but I do wish to note that I will only tell you a part of the tale now and the rest at later dates." The Chronicler was honest in his explanation, I could tell that simply by peering at the shroud that covered his ghastly face. "Alright, I can spare a couple minutes." I said. After all, I had plenty of hours left until the sun set, so a few minutes won't put me in a situation where I have to rush to get the job done. "Then let me begin…" The Chronicler said.

"_It all begun in Earth year 2025, when in a small countryside a young couple gave birth to a wonderful baby boy. He was given the first name of their grandfather, and had eyes as blue as the night sky. He was raised on elementary values on what was right and wrong, and though his heads were sometimes in the clouds he listened to his parents as the years passed by. He was attentive when it was required for him to be so, and was considered to be rather wise for his age. Though his parents loved him, they never over coddled him. They wanted him to have the capability to depend for himself after all._

_Innocence was also a quality well-noted in this boy's personality. He always had a smile even in the eyes of a person he never met before. Eventually the family moved out of the countryside and retreated into a humble, mountain abode. They still kept in contact with the human world though, since their car could travel down a road that only had a slight incline to it. Everything was fine, the mountain air was peaceful, the wildlife was tame, and the sights the parents took their kid were simply breathtaking. The kid had some of the greatest memories built with his parents, those so precious that there was nothing that could take them away._

_But how wrong the child was. Under the shroud of innocence he knew not the consequences of death, nor of its existence. The memories forever tainted by those left in the dark on such a matter, many times have I had to write down such incidents, my tired mind failing to comprehend just why history has to repeat itself in such ways as often as it does. You see, the boy's history was forever decided on a specific day over six years ago…" _The way the Chronicler spoke was chilling, like a reaper on the prowl during the cold midnight hour. The intensity of his voice increased on the final paragraph, worrying me into believing that the being wasn't just a recorder of life, but a taker of it as well.

However, the being ended his tale right then and there, folding his arms back into his robe and looking up at me, his stare repressing all doubts before he says, "I will stop there, give you some time to reflect on the person before I bring up his life again." My response to his sentence was already prepared, but as I leaned my right arm and body forward to say it, the Chronicler raised his right hand and a flash of light filled the area. When it passed he was gone, leaving me in a frozen position with nary a clue as to where he left to.

As I reeled back with my eyelids blinking a few times in surprise, I folded my arms and said to myself, "It was obvious who that tale was about…" I remembered the details far too well. That was a recap of the early years of my life, probably stated to convince me that the Chronicler was who he said he was. But there had to be another purpose behind it, seeing as he was going to talk more about my past the next time we met. "What an enigmatic being…" I said. Even with the explanation of his purpose, there were still a lot of flags being raised in my mind about him.

"For now, all I can do is keep listening to what he has to say and hope I'll get some answers out of him." As I spoke to myself, another voice called to me from behind, much to my annoyance. _"I see you enjoy speaking to yourself."_ I swiftly turned around, the being that has earned my ire staring at me from a holographic screen. "Speaking of enigmas…" I say as I give Mr. Reality a sarcastic, hesitant smirk and turn my head away slightly to make my displeasure at his presence more prominent. "I must admit, I'm quite surprised that you made it through the first temple. All those things your 'friend' Driad said to you did nothing to weaken your fighting capabilities…I guess you are merely someone who cares not about the things that trouble others."

The alien was quick to berate me with his sharp tongue, but in the midst of his baseless insult I tightly clenched my left hand into a fist and thrust my right pointer finger at the screen that floated before me. "How DARE you say that after you controlled him with your powers and forced those words into his mouth!" I made my accusation with seething bluntness, though I was secretly trying to determine the truth about the effects he had on the world. Mr. Reality raised an eyebrow, already signaling to me that he knew not of what I talked about. "Are you serious?" He said as if I was a lunatic that lost my mind, which is ironic considering the lengths the alien has gone to keep this game going.

"I only brought in the effects of the Midnight Channel to draw out the true selves of your former comrades for you to face." My second theory was right on the dot, and I drew my hand back and cocked an eyebrow with a smile hidden below the shadow of my hair. "Wait, when you say my former comrades…" "Your assumption is correct. I pinpointed the seven companions that had traveled with you once before and made them the new inner guardians of the temples. My original plan was to revive the Genesis Samurais, but my powers can't affect the spirits of the dead, so I simply chose a secondary option and took pieces of your powers and infused them into the fourteen inner and outer guardians to make them capable of fighting you."

"But why? What do you gain from any of this?!" I was furious at Mr. Reality's disregard for the lives he is manipulating, and I swung my right arm out to the side to greater express my disgust. "What I gain is none of your concern. You have only started and you are already asking for the motivations of your villain? I refuse to break the sequence of events to disclose that info. Speaking of that sequence…" Mr. Reality starts moving his lips in silence, and without warning my sword suddenly spawns into the grasp of my right hand and the green trigger is pulled without my consent.

A couple of poison ivy leaves rise up around me much to my surprise, and they quickly spin themselves around my body. When they sink away without a trace after five second, I am now wearing a dark green army vest with various other colors plastered onto it in order to give it an appearance befitting a camouflage for a jungle at nighttime. On my legs are tattered jeans, and at the bottom of these I find myself without shoes. My hair has become an olive-green color, and if I were to look in a mirror my eyes would be purple and there would be two streaks of dirt across my cheeks. Instead of my sword, I now had in my grasp a chain-whip that comes out of the center of a black crystalline tulip.

I was forced into my elemental form against my will, and though the first thought on my mind was that this felt rather unnecessary, I glared up at Mr. Reality's visage and said to him, "Ok, you got me…What do you think you are doing here?" His response was quick, as expected from a game master who had everything planned out from the start. "Every time you reclaim a power, I'm going to force you into the form related to that element at the beginning of each section of the planet that has been put under the influence of the Midnight Channel. How you solve the temples puzzles from here on out is going to require some clever use of yours powers, especially when you are lacking everything that made the solutions so obvious before."

There was really no point is arguing with him. After all, he was forever in control until I would be able to confront him again. So I reluctantly calmed myself down and let out a sigh, saying, "Fine. So can you leave me be? I got a game to beat, after all." Mr. Reality merely nods his head, complying to my wish and shutting the screen off to leave me alone once more. I turned towards the fog wall that covered my view of the outside world. I could tell right away that I would be unable to return until I restored this part of the world. So as I thought about Driad as my motivation to press onward, I turned towards the wooden boards that make up the docks and walked onto them at a slow pace.

I remembered the exact location of the Aqua Palace, but the problem was that it was submerged under the sea's surface. The last time, we used the Grass Stone to funnel in sunlight and shoot out a beam that split the waters apart to create a passage to the temple. That wasn't an option now in this bizarro world, so I had to figure out an alternative method to reach the temple in one piece. "There has to be something set up to split the waters, a device perhaps…" I said to myself as I folded my in front of my chest and hung my whip over the skin of my left arm.

I couldn't dispel my weapon once I was in my elemental form, since I needed to keep a connection established with it at all times to sustain it. Since I was now forced into this form until I completed the temple, who knew what would happen if the connection were to break. I didn't want to think about that for too long, and looked out to the desolate sea to try and come up with a solution to my current predicament. First, I would need a breathing apparatus to keep a steady supply of oxygen going as I swam around in the waters.

The answer to that was obvious. All I needed to do was create a bamboo rod with a curve that could go into my mouth. As I went deeper I would just increase the length with my powers so the tip would poke through the surface and keep the air coming in with each breath. The second problem came from my vision, which would be cut off with the sealing of my eyelids. I needed a pathway on the floor of the sea that I could detect with my powers and follow to the temple's entrance. "Now, what would be the best plant to use…" I flipped through many options in my head, the primary ones being lily pads and seaweed.

Of course, lily pads would just get in the way of the bamboo rod, so I decided upon the second option. I slipped my whip between the belt of my pants and raised my hands into the air in front of me like a symphony conductor, swinging the fingers at the water to cause bundles of seaweed to thrust up out of the ground and created a widespread trail that extends out to the Aqua Palace as planned. I couldn't see the spectacle unfold, but I knew it worked nonetheless. However, there was something up with the sea floor that caught my attention right away.

One part of the seaweed was raised in a format similar to that of a button. There were many possibilities as to what this device served, but only one that struck me as useful. "Could it be a button to split the waters? I guess Mr. Reality had to make something to help me out here…Or it could very well be a trap. I have to remember the outer guardians after all." I voiced my suspicions quietly as I pulled my arms back and curled my fingers into a loop, summoning energy to create a bamboo shoot with a curve, whose length is as big as I am tall.

The bottom taps against the wood of the docks, and without any afterthought I leap into the waters, closing my eyelids as I feel the bubbles created by my impact tingling against my bare skin. I used my detection powers and lifted the bamboo into my mouth, breathing the water put into my mouth outward so it emerges past the surface. I then use my arms and legs to swim through the sea, following the trail of seaweed towards the raised ground with caution. After all, I couldn't detect any disturbances in the water's form, so if any wildlife tried to approach me I would be utterly defenseless.

I moved closer to the "button", my eyes straining to stay closed but I never gave in to that struggle. After a few more seconds I make it, diving lower and moving my right hand out to feel for the button. I tapped it, the object moving downward on its own with the sides scraping against the ground underneath. The sound was diluted, but I got the basic idea of what was happening. After a few seconds of silence, I suddenly felt a disturbance in the waters, my body being moved around from a pulling motion on both sides. I swayed up and down and kept myself still to avoid being carried off suddenly from even the slightest of movements.

The water was splitting apart, and I could feel the crack reaching me from behind. If I didn't hang on to something quickly I would be torn away, where the air would be replaced with the water. I extended the length of the bamboo shoot and commanded the seaweed to rise up and wrap themselves tightly around my body in a multitude of layers. I was pulled to the ground, safe from harm as the water split above me. The process took all of five seconds, and I could feel the water dripping through the cracks of seaweed afterwards.

The grains of sand rubbed against my chest and legs while the slime of the plant stuck to the back of my vest. I dispelled the seaweed around me with a thought and pressed myself off the ground, getting on my feet and quickly looking at my holster to make sure that my whip was still there. After discovering that it was I looked ahead and beyond the trail of seaweed I saw the entrance to the Aqua Palace at long last, the area around me covered entirely in an aqua blue shade. As I once again bemoaned the dullness of the environment, I spat out the bamboo rod that I had forgotten about in my mouth.

The crashing walls of water surrounding me were the most prominent thing I could hear, thanks to my wet ears, but as I tilted my head and beat the liquid out with a few pats of the hand I heard something approaching me from the side. I let out an unsurprised sigh, and with not hesitation I shrugged my shoulders and back flipped out of the way of a beast that ripped right out of the water in an attempt to push me into its territory. I could see its shadow swerving back around to re-emerge near the entrance of the temple, and with a smirk I said to myself, "I guess it was a solution and a trap…Clever."

The beast sprung forth from the cascading sea, the water that follows hiding its true form for but a moment. I land on the ground and pull my whip out as the beast turns towards me. It was a three-headed creature, each one of a different color. Their heads were rounded vertically but not horizontally, those sides being flat as scales trail down to the spot where their bodies connect. There were triangular fins on all of their heads, the gills spread out beside their snapping, fanged jaws that clanged out like smashing metal with each bite. From left to right, they were red, blue and yellow in color, and after I looked at their appearances a bit more I realized just what the creature was. It was the Underchomp, the guardian of the final door in the Underwhere. Its appearance had been merged with that of a fish and an eel, and the only reason it was still alive outside of its natural environment was because of the element that had been imbued into its body. No matter the circumstances, this creature was an obstacle to me here and now, and I raised my whip out from my shoulder ready to combat it.

**The Snarling Guard Dog of the Depths: Sea King Underchomp**

The beast made the first move, the blue head opening its mouth and firing a high-pressure bullet of water straight at me. I didn't have time to swing my weapon, so I leapt to the left to avoid the attack, which struck the ground with enough force to push a part of the ground away from the impact zone. The rest of the water flew into the air, splattering down as I stood in place and pulled my weapon behind my neck, the sections splitting apart while still connected to the chain until I lashed it outward with a powerful swing.

The metal whip charged towards the head that shot at me, leaving me certain that my attack would collide straight-on. But to my surprise the yellow head opens its mouth and shoots out a water bullet shrouded with electricity. It doesn't strike as hard as the other bullet did, but nonetheless the water bursts and the electricity suspends my weapon in mid-air as it travels through the metal towards my hand. I still couldn't let go, so I quickly used my powers to summon wood around my hand, which absorbed the voltage and left me unharmed.

I retracted the whip and jumped away from another water bullet, these few actions allowing me to determine just what the beast's gimmick was in this battle. The yellow head had the capability to fire water bullets with electricity to counter my whip, and the red head more than likely combined fire and water somehow to burn any plants I would try to use against them. Then there was the blue head, which had the purest control over water, and thus the stronger bullets. That one was the biggest target, but not the one that I could deal with right away.

I analyzed my opponents as the blue rapid-fired three bullets at me, sending them out in a trail in anticipation for a backflip that never came seeing as I leapt to the right. The red head fired a red water bullet at me and I swung at it with my whip to stop it before it collided with my body, which landed on the ground and lead to me rolling to get back on my legs. The sand nearly scraped my kneecaps, but even if they did the pain would be but a minor nuisance for me to deal with. I wiped my left hand against my chin, standing up tall and swinging my whip out in an arc to cleave through a red and blue water bullet fired at me.

A yellow one followed behind those two, but my weapon was out of range and all I had to do then was duck to avoid it. This creature's gimmick really wouldn't be annoying if it was a singular head I had to deal with instead of three, but to take it down I would have to deliver three hard strikes with my whip at each head. The fins didn't deceive me, the Underchomp had a metal skin underneath those that could only be damaged by my weapon. The plants I can create won't be able to work in that capacity. However, that's not to say that they couldn't be used as a distraction.

As mischievous thoughts raced through my head, I smirked and looked at my opponent once more. I stamped my right foot on the ground, the seafloor rumbling past the notice of the Underchomp until it stops underneath the red head. A massive tree stump pops out and rams straight into the underside of the Underchomp, colliding with the red head with such force that the wood cracks into splinters. However, the duty is done, and the head widens its eyes and plops onto the ground, spinning around in a daze. I calculated that I had fifteen seconds to take it down before it got back up.

I charged forward with great speed, which had now been amplified by my change in form. However, the other two heads had a bead on me, both of them opening their jaws up wide to rapid-fire water bullets at me. I could tell the differences between the two shots as they smashed into the ground behind me, as only the water dispersed by the blue shots were able to touch me as I ran. I reached the red head after a period of time that felt longer than it actually was, and jumped into the air, swinging my extended whip below my feet and grinding the sharp tips against the forehead. When the weapon moves over the head I spin myself around, dragging the whip around my form for a few seconds before I swing my arm outward to launch it at the backside of the creature.

When it strikes dead-on I swerve my arm to the left, guiding the weapon away before I launch it out once more with a swing in the other direction. With the three lashes of my weapon the Underchomp snaps out of its daze, only to raise its head up high and let out a deflated screech as its form begins to flash until it fades into oblivion. I landed on the ground behind where the creature's body once was, retracting the segments of my whip against the handle before holstering it and watching as the two remaining beasts merged together in an action that could only be described as revolting, what with their fins splitting horizontally and the flesh binding together with a loud "Shlurp!" being heard.

But for some reason, I didn't feel guilty about what I just did. Considering the circumstances this time around, it was obvious just why I felt that way. The Underchomp wasn't sentient like King Boo, it was just a mindless, three-headed guard dog that happened to be in my way. Killing it is doing it a favor in all honesty so it no longer has to exist as this unholy abomination. My next target was the yellow head, who was now vulnerable to my plant-based abilities. I ran ahead, using my mind to command some of the seaweed that was plastered against the ground to rise up and fling itself at the beast as it turned around to face me.

The eyes were covered in an instant, but with the metal surface I knew it was not to last. I leapt up and swung my whip, striking the yellow head with all my might to make sure that my damage will be sustained. My attack was so powerful that is successfully cleaved a mark into the creature's skin with the help of the spikes. I pulled my whip out immediately, moving the handle around above my head so it dances around me like a tornado as I descend. The flurry of spikes and metal strike the yellow head in full, tearing apart the seaweed that covers his face and repeatedly damaging him in the process.

By the time gravity drags me to the ground, I had already harmed him to the point that the creature's head reels back slightly before splitting away from its opposite and falling to the ground to perish like the red head did. The splintered fins on the blue head seal away the vulnerable flesh, and the final eel-like beast snarled at me in vicious anger. I met its roar with a piercing glare, and swung my whip to use its length to cut through four water bullets that shot from its mouth at once. I then used my mind to call forth vines from the ground and wrapped around the Underchomp's solid form and tethered it to the ground, walking up to it while flipping my weapon around with a flick of the wrist.

The tip pointed at the beast's head, and as it was raised with the jaw preparing to open I thrust my weapon straight into its steel blue skin, piercing it with such force that the Underchomp freezes in place and its pupils shrink into the size of pixels. I pulled my weapon out, the tips grinding against the sides of the hole I made, and the beast's head falls the ground with a mighty thud. I silence myself, and as I once again hear the water crashing upward around me the beast fades into oblivion, now truly defeated.

I holstered my weapon and turned towards the entrance of the Aqua Palace without feeling anything for the fallen beast. "…" Silence was the only thing I used, and I began to walk to the temple without ever looking back. I thought about who I would be fighting in this temple, and as much as I hated to I needed to come up with a strategy to deal with them in my current form before I reached the sanctuary where the elemental stone once existed. I walked underneath the deep-blue entryway with these thoughts continuing to linger…

_Next Time: A Deep Soaked Battl_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: A Flash in the Waves**

I was inside of the Aqua Palace, the battle with the water imbued Underchomp now removed from my thoughts as I tread the dark-blue tile floors. I didn't know just how much time I would have until the walls of water came crashing down, but that feeling of uncertainty once again brought on a sense of urgency within me. "Now, if I remember correctly…" I looked to the left, noticing a crevice in the wall that lead to a passageway behind it. I could easily slip through, but there was something I wished to check out first. I walked to the edge and looked downward. There was a pit receiving a steady supply of water from the pipes, the depths of the pool looking as though it went on forever.

I knew better though from my previous travels, disregarding the illusion of the endless abyss that the singular colored environment tried to cast onto me and lifting my head up to turn it towards the crevice. In there was a block with a Frog Suit, which would honestly make the swim much easier to deal with. Of course, I had no way of knowing whether the costume would work with me. I never had a chance to try any of them out during my short time on Plit, and I'd rather not risk something happening to me. Not to mention the passage could be booby-trapped.

"Oh wait!" I snapped my fingers, berating myself in my head for my lack of insight into the situation. "Why do I need to swim? I could just do this!" I recall Mario pulling a metal lever at the bottom of the pit, and with a single thought I summon forth a vine from the ground in proximity of the device. I cause it to rise a couple inches before I decide to give it the command to arch towards the curved tip, but suddenly my connection to the plant is lost. With my right arm still raised in the air, I wiggle the fingers around in hopes for my link to be re-established, curling my lips in bewilderment and then frowning in frustration as nothing changes.

After a few furious wiggles I lean forward and glare into the water in anger, stamping my foot down and cursing to myself, "Useless ass plant powers!" Of course, my outburst leads into a sudden calm as I rationalize what may have happened to the vine I summoned. "Either it was the undersea wildlife or perhaps…" I murmured to myself, pausing in place and thinking with my left hand rubbing my chin before I take a cautious step towards the edge of the floor and kneeling down to peak through the murky depths. Though it was faint, I could see something rotating rapidly at the bottom.

"Ah, so there are a couple of razor blades down there." I noted, straightening my lips out and sighing as I lifted myself up and began to think about how to deal with this nuisance. "I just need to stop one of them to get to the lever, but how is the question…" I pictured two scenarios in my head. One where I repeatedly summoned vines from the ground until the sliced up portions are dragged in and jam up the blades, or another one where I summoned a really thick, hard piece of wood from the ground to jam the blades. Both had a chance of working, but what would it cost me to get either done was the next thing I had to ask myself.

The vines would save me time, but I could end up draining a lot of energy if it doesn't work. The wood had the best chance of working, but would take more time to solidify its form into reality. So it was really a matter of "Time vs. Energy." And really, the answer to that was simple. I didn't want to be low on energy when I went to the fight the inner guardian, and I had already used a decent amount fighting the outer one. So I raised my arms into the air and swerved my hands to the left and right respectively so the palm were pointed towards the center of my body.

I moved them in such a way that it looked like I was unscrewing the lid off of a massive pickle jar. Down near the razor blades the outline of the wood I wished to create swirled around multiple times until it was the proper size, at which point I snapped my right fingers and caused the wood to solidify. It dropped thanks to gravity, planting itself in the ground and causing the razor blades closest to it to stick right into the bark. With the thickness I gave it, there was no way for the blade to cut through, and after seconds of effort it becomes too much for it to handle and it breaks off.

So after that effort of mine I quickly summoned another vine and pulled the lever, because I've already wasted about a page of narration detailing the act of pulling a simple lever! The device causes a metal grate to slide open, draining a huge amount of water en masse before it seals itself and the pipes near where I'm at start to pump less liquid into the pit to keep the current level of the pool sustained. This action of mine revealed a few platforms to the next area, all of which I leapt down in a matter of seconds and made it to a wooden bridge that would lead me to a new passageway.

It was weird crossing the platforms without the fountains spraying water to make the traversing of them harder, but I theorized that the reason for this was because with my powers I could clog the fountains, thus nullifying the "threat" they posed to me. As I walked towards the passageway, I felt the bridge below me beginning to wobble uncontrollably. I kept myself stable by swaying my arms around, but noticed rather quickly that the bridge was retracting into the slot it popped out from. I ran to the other side, especially since its withdrawal would make it difficult for me to get to the passage.

As I entered said passage I made sure not to look behind me, since there was nothing of importance for me to note…And as I thought that, I heard the whirring of energy being built up, the noise causing me to turn my head around and watch as the circular platforms spun themselves towards the edge where the bridge used to extend out from and fired out a series of pure red lasers right at it. All of them collided together in a blinding flash of crimson, the field of detonation spreading partway into the passageway and successfully managing to knock me onto my back even as I brace myself with my arms raised in front of my tilted head.

The impact with the hard floor was painful, but it gave me an important reminder about the differences between this temple and the one in my memory. I got on my feet in a span of fifteen seconds, dealing with the throbbing of my back muscles with a grunt and a curved stretch. I patted the right side of my jeans, my weapon still in place despite all that has occurred. I do admit I was feeling rather paranoid about losing it, the uncertainty grasping me like the vines I could call forth in an instant. Of course, if there is one thing I can say for certain, is that I am really dutiful when it comes to keeping track of and holding onto my possessions.

It would take something really powerful to wrench my whip from my body, and with a happy chuckle I turned around, forgot about the events that transpired, and made my way to the end of the passageway without running into anymore obstacles. The room I entered had a major change to it that I noticed immediately. Floating on the surface of a shallow pond wa grid of stainless steel mines, the center mine replaced with a small platform that had a button on a pedestal, which was protected by a barrier of unknown energy.

I recall the previous solution to this puzzle, which involved following which mines the water on the ceiling dripped onto and stepping on them to press a button that would open the door on the other side of the room. However, there were no drops to be found, meaning the hint system had been removed. That was rather nerve-wracking, since the consequence of failing to notice the right path was to have your entire body splattered across the room thanks to a mine's explosion. As the gruesome image of that scenario happening to me enters my head, I feel an unnerving chill pass through my nerves as I held my arms to my chest and shivered at the thought.

After that, I overlooked the minefield and took something into consideration after analyzed the entire setup. It looked as though I didn't have to cross a path to reach the button and get to the other side now, but instead touch a certain pattern in the mines in order to dispel the barrier around the button. It was times like this I wish I didn't curse my powers earlier, since now I would be able to use them to summon gentle leaves to test them on each mine until I get a right answer. That does sound a reckless strategy at first glance, but I wasn't about to go in all willy-nilly after what happened with the platforms and the bridge just a few seconds ago.

What would the pattern be though? It had to be something that represented the theme of the temple, but could be visible on the minefield. I folded my arms to deepen my level of concentration, and with this simple action the solution came to me in a matter of seconds. The pattern I needed to create on the minefield was the very thing that was missing since the last time I was here. I held my right hand out and snapped my fingers. A small leaf appeared on top of the middle mine on the top row, which radiates with a light-blue glow upon contact. I smiled, especially when after a few moments of silence the mine didn't explode.

I snapped my fingers in rapid succession, the next two leaves appearing on top of the mines to the bottom left and right of the first one. The pattern of leaves goes diagonally for three rows, at which point I just duplicate the position of the leaves on the next row and start going inward until the last row, at which point I just put three leaves onto the center mines to finish things off. The final product looks like a droplet, and it seems as though my solution is acceptable to the mines, which glow on and off across the nine rows until the metal plates below the pond creak open and deposit both the waters and the mines into a massive pit.

After some blast doors seal off the ensuing explosions, the barrier surrounding the switch vanishes. I walk across the metal door and press the button with a light touch, walking past it as the door on the other side of the room opens up. I move past it, entering a luxurious room where a small staircase leads to a winged altar where a cascading waterfall creates a thin lake that surrounds the holy relic. Of course, the beauty is somewhat mitigated by the deep-blue hue that still covered the temple's insides. I walk down the staircase, reaching the altar in record time and dipping my hand into the cupped altar.

As the cold water tickles my skin, I reach for a lever and give it a light tug to the right. Suddenly, I felt a tremor coming from the main room behind me, and in a matter of seconds the beautiful waterfall stop flowing. I wait for the sensation to subside, and at that point I pull my hand out and shake it around to dry it off a bit. Satisfied with its current condition, I dip it into my pants pocket and turn towards the way I came in, tilting my head in caution as I think to myself, "I wonder if the platforms will try to blast me as I leave…"

I rubbed the backside of my left hand against my chin, going "Nah!" to dispel my belief of what could happen to me. After all, if push comes to shove I'll just sprint out of the passage and land on the platforms that'll take me to the final room. So I began my journey back to that point with no difficulty, and once I made it close to the end I dashed outward and leapt past the edge of the platform, landing on one of the circular platforms without slipping up in the slightest. "Alright, now that I'm here…" As I say that I start to think about the one thing that will be important to me soon enough.

And that is who the identity of the inner guardian will be. Mr. Reality revealed it as clear as day, that the inner guardians were the very friends that had traveled with me once before. The question is, which one of them would fit the water element? I could only think of one, but he would be better suited for guardian the Sky Temple, not the Aqua Palace. As I leapt down onto the platform that led into the final passageway, I wracked my mind trying to determine who I would be fighting. The path I traversed felt a bit cramped, but it was nothing that I wasn't already aware of existing, so the feeling didn't annoy me in the slightest.

At the end of the passage is a expansive room with an ankle deep pond filled with lily pads. At the end of the room is a three-tired water fountain that released a steady stream of liquid that flowed over the cupped segments into the pond. In any other situation, this environment would make for a rather peaceful relaxation zone. However, with Mr. Reality's adjustments this place was going to be a battlefield for my opponent and I. Each step I took was probably a signal for the guardian to leap out from nowhere and strike. That's what happened with Driad anyways…

I approached the fountain with my whip in the grasp of my hand. At the top there should be an energy reserve similar to the one I found in the throne of the Nature Castle. It was when I was only two feet away from a proper leaping point that a large portion of the ceiling pulls back, and two streams of water thrust down and smash into the pond, sending a consistent amount of ripples across the surface that raise the water between my feet and kneecaps. A gentle mist blew into my face as a figure descending from the newly made hole with the water gushing from their extended palms.

The person was tall and slender, clad in a strange garb where half of the clothing consisted of sapphire overalls and a hat along with a silver-blue shirt, while the other side had black overalls and a green shirt. The two sides were separated by stitches, which even extended onto the skin of his face. Speaking of his face, there was a bandanna attached to the right side of it, which made his eye look completely white. The hat he wore had a sapphire "L" on one side, and a reversed green "L" on the other.

Despite his mismatched appearance, I knew who it was right away. It was Luigi, the cowardly yet sometimes brave brother of Mario, and the person who was infamously known as the "man in green" Mr. L. His outfit blended together both images I had known him as, while at the same time showing traits of the element that he had control over. As he descended past the level of the ceiling he started to move forward, the tattered cape on his back flying backwards as I noticed that his eyelids were shut tight.

I backed away from where he was going to land, and when his body landed on the surface of the pond like a spirit hovering menacingly above the mortal plane he thrust his eyelids open. He had the same yellow eyes that Driad did, but at least his looked more natural compared to the ones that he had. Still, I never expected Luigi to be here, since he seemed more like a guardian for the Lightning Palace. Then again, there was another member of our merry group who was more adapt to the element, so I guess Luigi just got the short end of the stick once more and was made the guardian of the last element that he could possibly been allowed to have.

Though this does bring a problem, since despite gaining control over the water, he probably was able to use the Thunderhand too, which would prove troublesome when combined together. For now though, I had to face the "Shadow's" verbal onslaught. Luigi rested his left arm against the side of his body, letting out a melancholy sigh as he shifted his eyes towards me and began to frown on the left side of his face while the right side raised the lips up into a grin. "Hey…It is nice to see you again, I guess…" The left side said in an uninspired tone of voice.

The right side continued to be silent, giving me that obnoxious grin alongside its glazed stare. The "Shadow" looks at me, and continues to speak. "You know, I really wish you wouldn't have returned. Everything was fine while you were gone. I was starting to get more respect from the people, and it even looked like I was emerging from my brother's shadow all on my own. But now you, the almighty Elemental Overlord, have come back to ruin all that for me. …Why does this keep happening? Every time I want something, there is always an obstacle that gets in my way. I wanted Daisy for myself, and my cowardice and self-esteem issues made it difficult to even look her in the eyes. I wanted respect, but my bro's popularity proved difficult to overcome. And now I want to be this planet's protector using nothing more than my own brains and strength, and you just happen to come back at this very moment to do that yourself! Well you know what? I am sick of being the butt of the jokes, I am sick of putting on an act of acceptance every time I'm mistreated, and I'm sick and tired of having to deal with a new problem every time I want to do anything important with myself in life! You are an obstacle to me Overlord, and I'm going to take my own destiny into the grasp of my hands and conquer you to finally give myself some well-deserved satisfaction!"

It was easy to see what Luigi's "Shadow" was expressing. Deep down, Luigi always hated being the second-fiddle, and it seemed that no matter what he felt that something was going to keep him in that position for the rest of his life. I was just the latest in a series of problems in his life, and he was going to use all of his pain against me whether I liked it or not. But his explanation didn't provide and answer as to why the silent right side of Luigi's body looks like Mr. L. In all honesty though, I wasn't expecting an answer to that question to come from anyone. I just looked at Luigi's "Shadow" head-on and position my legs in such a way that I will be able to easily charge forth when the man in green makes his first move. With lily pads set up on the pond, both of us already had a bit of each element prepared for our battle…

**The Two-Sided Puppet of Fate: Shadow Luigi**

Luigi leaps at me, throwing his left hand outward and firing a torrent of water at me. I curve my body in the opposite direction of the liquid, which rubs against my shoulder and releases a high amount of heat into my skin. I flinch from feeling it, but I quickly realize that instead of using the Thunderhand he is using the electricity to super-heat the water against me. At least I won't be insta-killed by being hit by the water now. So I don't have to be AS cautious. Still, pressurized water can blow a hole right through me, so I was still going to be wary of those type of moves.

The next thing Luigi did was fall to the ground and slam his left palm against the water. Circular ripples flowed across the surface until it was beneath me. I knew what was going to happen, and instinctively jumped to the right, slamming my whip straight into the wall to suspend myself in place as a geyser erupted from the water and went right into the ceiling. The collision caused droplets to rain around, some of them hitting my skin and sizzling for a second before they left in the form of miniature stacks of smoke.

I kicked myself off of the wall, somersaulting across the pond with no regard to the moisture that will stick to my body. While I'm rolling I use my powers to lift three lily pads off the ground, spawning unnatural spikes around the edges and flinging it at Luigi while he is still kneeled onto the ground. He lifts his head up and lifts his right arm into the air to make the water explode three times in rapid succession, each one stronger than the last, in order to knock the lily pads out of their flight patterns and collide up into the ceiling.

But I used the distraction brought on by his focus in the attack to get on my feet and fling my whip straight through the rain brought on by the bursts, the metal front of the weapon impacting with Luigi's slender gut and sending him recoiling through the air into the front dish of the lowest tier on the fountain. His body arches backwards, and he falls to the ground after a few seconds of suspended animation. He doesn't land on his face though, but on his knees. There he gets up with great tenacity and runs at me like a flash.

His rapid movements were recorded across the surface of the pond, each individual ripple being watched by me until the moment he is but a foot away, at which point I stamp my foot into the water and summon a wall of vines around me that block his thrown punch. Water swirls out of his knuckles and tries to strike at me through the cracks in the form of super-heated needles, but I duck below them and drop my guard. From behind the protection of the vines I had holstered my weapon and prepared a swirling green energy sphere in the palm that I flung into Luigi's gut with great vigor.

The released energy has an aftereffect that hits Luigi's legs with the force of a million leaves, his arms with the strength of one hundred flowers, and his chest with the brute girth of a giant tree. All three blows hit simultaneously, but the damage is surprisingly not noticed by Luigi's "Shadow" who is blow backwards across the water while remaining on his feet. The waves brought up by his feet gliding across the water splash against both walls in the room, dampening them halfway. Luigi then swings his hands towards the walls, the droplets peeling off of them so they could be flung towards me as projectiles.

The bullet storm of raindrops was impossible to avoid, the heat inside of them singing my skin with each successfully connected hit as I swung my whip around and raised the lily pads in self-defense. A few bullets punctured through the flattened water-based plants, but that only elicited a momentary, flinched gaze over to them before I resumed focus on the battle. To my surprise though, Luigi had vanished from sight, his figure briefly slipping around various areas for a nanosecond before he returned to a more physical form and slammed his fist right into my gut.

I lurched forward out of recoil, the remaining droplets flying towards my defenseless body and putting holes through most of my clothing with relative ease. As I spat out a cough I wondered how Luigi could possibly be moving this fast. The man in green pulled his punch away, his bones cracking from the aftereffect of his hard blow. I wobbled back slightly as I tried to avoid slipping into unconsciousness, but my vision was made dizzy and thus it was harder for me to keep myself together. Luigi approached me, ready to deal another blow, but I grasped the part of my gut where his blow had connected and gritted my teeth.

Even with the fuzziness of his appearance in my line of sight, I knew how close he was getting, and raised my other arm to create a short-lived distraction in the form of a venus flytrap that I spawned from nothingness. The sentient plant opens its acid-dripped mouth up wide and snarled at the being that threatened my existence. I knew it wouldn't do any damage to Luigi, but I needed something to avert his attention away from me as I backed up and took in a few steady breaths to restore consciousness.

By the times the ten seconds of relaxation had lapsed, Luigi had created a blade of water between his right middle and pointer fingers and swung it out in an arch, parts of it dripping off before it cleaved the flytrap in two across the stem and the tip was just seconds away from striking my face. I raised my whip and blocked it with my renewed reflexes, but some of it slipped past the metal segments and cut off the bottom half of my vest in one fell swoop. My skin was unfazed, thankfully, but with each passing second Luigi was gaining an advantage against me in the battle.

On the other hand though, I managed to determine an answer as to why the man in green was giving me so much of a hard time. His strength was connected to the water below his feet. He used them in his attacks, he glided along it as if he was the element itself, and he didn't take any damage because even with a corporeal form he took on the trait of water where it is impossible to harm him with physical blows. That's why the only reason I got any damage on him during his battle thus far was because my whip had launched him away from the water.

So the only way I would be able to win was to cut him off from the pond, or launch him into the air and strike him while he was vulnerable. With my theory noted inside my head I rushed at Luigi and dragged the tip of my weapon along the floor, the segments curving forward before I push them all ahead and the foremost portion rises up and uppercuts the man in green in the jaw. He goes into the air just as I predicted, and during this most vulnerable period of his I spun my weapon so the tip goes into the holster of my belt and my released grip allows the rest of it to follow soon afterwards.

Once that minor detail was out of the way I jumped up. Straining my mind, I concentrated most of my power at the walls that surrounded me. As Luigi began to descend as I approached him, the walls trembled and through them burst a dozen, tendril like branches that clashed against each other in the center of the room until they created a perfectly sealed floor that will prevent any further water from the pond to get in my way. Though that effort exhausted me somewhat, I let out a light breath and opened my eyelids, raising my right fist into the air and punching the man in green square in the back, withdrawing my limb and flipping around so my body landed gracefully at the front edge of my bark-enclosed platform while Luigi crashed onto it without breaking or cracking the wood.

I knew he wasn't unconscious yet though, so I turned myself around and watched as the man in green's trembling body works its way back onto its feet in a matter of seconds. However, he was now leaning forward slightly, his arms hovering beside him as he tried to lift his head up to glare at me with utter fury. Like with Driad, I expected Luigi's "Shadow" to curse me, but this time it was not his lips that moved but instead those of the side that looked like Mr. L. "See what happens when you try and do things alone, Luigi? You are worthless, the man you are now will never accomplish anything when the mistakes you've made in the past are still recorded in the minds of the populace!"

There was a certain ferocity in this half's tone of voice, a chilling sensation creeping in the air as a thin layer of aqua-blue fog looms across the room and an aura of similar color surrounds Luigi's body. "Remember when you were me? Remember how confident you were, how smart and strong you were? I am the real you, and the sooner you accept me as your identity the sooner you will get the recognition you believe you so rightfully deserve!" And then Luigi's "Shadow" did something unprecedented. "Shut up! I don't need you to accomplish anything, I have my own power, my own heart and personality! I refuse to hide behind a mask to get people to respect me!"

The left half spoke with brutal anger in his voice, but from the words he used I could tell that this wasn't the "Shadow" talking, but the real Luigi slipping through to tell his Mr. L side off for trying to sway him away. I don't how this was possible, how there could be two "Shadows" drawn out from a single body and fused together as they were, but with the real Luigi's intervention a new problem arose, one that the man in green was going to make a reality as he opened his lips and said to his other half, "I don't want to hear you anymore, because you are not-" Midway through the sentence, I thrust my arms out in a panic and yelled out "NO!", a warm sweat dripping out of my head in this humid atmosphere as I clenched my fingers against my palm.

A multitude of vines burst through the wood around Luigi's body, wrapping themselves tightly all over his figure and forcing him to go silent as he expresses his pain through a quiet yet anguished cry. "Sorry Luigi, but I couldn't let you finish that sentence…" I apologize to my friend as he shifts his shoulders and head back and forth to try and break free, but with a single command I tighten the vines around his body to constrict him for a few seconds, at which point I release him and he falls to the ground cataleptic. My actions were sudden, but they prevented a new being from emerging to fight me.

With the battle done, I mentally told the wooden tendrils to retract into the walls after I jumped off of them. Luigi fell into the shallow pond, with his face thankfully falling onto a lily pad so it wouldn't fully submerge and cause him to drown. I quickly moved towards the fountain and leapt onto the second-tier, the water there being deep enough to cover my kneecaps. It was warm, a feeling that was nice to experience after that conflict. In the reflection I was able to note the damage done to my body, which needless to say was a lot more than what Driad had done to me. This was a good enough sign as any that since the warm-up had now passed everything was going to just get increasingly difficult from here on out.

After these thoughts passed through my head I looked into the upper most dish where the water was spraying out from and saw a tiny crevice with a light-blue glow coming from it. Just like in the Nature Castle I impaled my whip into the crevice, and light radiated out across the room. I felt the water element returning to me as I could hear the luxurious flow of a waterfall in my eardrums, and the smell of saltwater in my nose. When I had finished closing my eyelids to relish in these sensations, I opened them up. The immediate thing I noticed was that the room had returned to its pristine appearance, which was something rather welcome for me after the dullness of the deep-blue hue that covered it before.

The next thing was that I was now wielding my sword, my appearance returned back to normal as a reward for completing this temple. The blue trigger was back on my sword, and I was grateful to now have two powers back under my belt. The last thing I needed to do now before returning to Toad Town was obvious. I turned myself around and saw Luigi's body still in the pond, but now he was wearing his familiar green and blue garb instead of the unnatural appearance he had before. Like with Driad, I was going to take his body back so he could rest, but as I leapt down to go get him something very surprising happened.

The man in green moaned, obviously from the pain I had inflicted on his body during the battle, and he moved his right hand to the back of his head and rubbed it while using the other one to push himself onto his knees. His eyelids were shut, but his ability to feel was still active, as I found out when he said to himself, "What feels wet around here?" He opened his eyelids up and noted the pond that he was kneeling in, the lily pads and clean environment reminding him of the familiar territory he had awoken in. "The Aqua Palace? But…Why am I in here? The last thing I remember, I was with my brother and-"

He was recapping the events that had transpired in his life as he tilted his head around the room, but upon looking at me he stops talking and freezes his expression at one of bewilderment. Without missing a beat he gets on his feet, calling to me at the edge of the pond with a puzzled, "Hey, do I know you?" His voice expressed familiarity at my appearance, which was something I was expecting to hear from him. Giving him a grin almost as wide as my face, I folded my arms in front of my chest and replied to him, "Oh come on Luigi, don't you recognize an old friend when you see them?"

The man in green tilted his head, quietly saying "What…" as if the answer to my question was a solid "No". Though I was a little upset, I could forgive Luigi on the account of my different appearance and the fact that he was probably disoriented, so I said to him, "Remember? I'm Mewmaster, the young Elemental Overlord you traveled with over a year ago!" Luigi expressed shock in my declaration, pulling his body and arms backward as his eyes widen immensely. The surprise from his recognition was obvious, and I chuckled at his reaction. However, if I had known just why he was reacting the way he was ahead of time, I wouldn't have been so quick to laugh. After regaining his composure, he waves his right hand out in front of him and says to me with utter honesty, "I think you got the wrong person. While I did travel with someone who eventually became the Elemental Overlord, his name was not Mewmaster."

_Next Time: A Conflicting Identity_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Black Faded Memories**

There was nothing said after Luigi's comment. He made it clear as day that he wasn't familiar with me, which I considered impossible when I took another look at my memories. I wasn't mistaken, the man in green was one of the people I traveled with. So why did he claim to not recognize me? I suddenly felt a rush of pain in my head, the images of my memories growing fuzzy as my body becomes limp and I fall to my knees. Sweat emerges from many pores on my skin as I dispel my sword and plant my palms into the pond. The nervous breathing that passes between my lips causes Luigi to unfold his arms away from their puzzled position and he runs over to me in an instant.

With my head leaned forward I can't see his expression, but he voices his concern in a nervous tone, "H-Hey! What is going on with you?" I didn't know how to answer that. There was no way that Luigi's comment could've done this to me. I felt like I was going to throw up, even though nothing was rising up my esophagus. I tried to lift my head up to look the man in green in the eyes, and after a few seconds of silent staring I suddenly feel better. Everything subsided, my recovery unnatural no matter how anyone would look at it. Even so, Luigi stares at me weirdly as I get back on my feet and shake my head to remove the slight pain residing in the back of it.

"That…That was weird…" Those were the only words I could bring myself to say after all that, my response amounting to one of nonchalance as I blinked my eyelids a few times in the face of Luigi's concerned gaze. The man in green slanted his eyebrows, and I could tell that he was thinking about my condition. "Honestly, I don't know what has been going on around here since that alien knocked me unconscious, and I really think it would be for the best if we got to a safer spot before we start asking each other questions."

Though Luigi was kindly trying to avoid the subject of my well-being, he made a very good point. The walls of water outside the Aqua Palace could come crashing down at any time, and the return of the sea would end in the submergence and subsequent drowning of both of our bodies. After the man in green denied my offer to carry him back to Toad Town, we started to tread through the beautiful corridors and platforms of the restored temple, jumping our way to the top and making it out the entrance where we are greeted by the all too familiar shine of the moon radiating across the barren sea floor.

The reflection of the moonlight casts off the walls of water, guiding us back to the docks after a short yet tranquil stroll. When we have reached our destination, we jump out of the chasm and hear the water come crashing down behind us. The collision of both sides of the sea causes a cascade of salty liquid to push towards the docks and erupt upon contact with the stony edge. A few drops hit both of our backs, but we take the chilling sensation as it seeps through our clothes in stride and continue on our way to an unknown destination.

I hadn't told Luigi yet that the pipe to his house was corrupted by the Midnight Channel's influence. In fact, we haven't exchanged a single word since we left the inner sanctuary of the Aqua Palace. Part of the reason as to why we hadn't was because the man in green was wrapped in thought, that much I could tell from the way he had his arms folded and his head lowered. It was obvious he was trying to put the pieces together about the mystery that was our different recollection of past events.

Admittedly, I was a little insulted by Luigi's inability to believe my claim, but this wasn't the first time so far where someone had doubted my identity. Mr. Reality did something similar, claiming that I "Wasn't the Elemental Overlord I am looking for" or something like that. I hadn't thought much about it at the time, especially with the brutal onslaught of events that occurred soon after, but with the man in green doubts I couldn't help but question to myself, "Maybe there are two Elemental Overlords?" I repeated that in my head four times, but it all sounded absurd to me no matter which way I looked at it.

After all, I KNOW for a fact that my memories of the events that transpired in our journey are real. I could recall each expression, every word and emotion expressed by both my allies and my enemies. But at the same time, Luigi claimed that he didn't travel with someone who went by my name, which raises many issues no matter which way you were to look at it. There were really only two ways the next conversation is between the two of us is going to go down. Either I'm able to work out an answer from what Luigi knows, or I will end up having to ask the Chronicler what he knows about these dilemma.

With all the time spent thinking to myself, I very nearly forget about someone important as we entered the vacant center of town. "Hold up Luigi." I stopped in place and called out to him so he would stop as well, and after he turned around he murmured a response in confusion and moved his arms out to the side of his body. I flung my right hand over my shoulder, pointing to the Toad House behind me and saying, "I'm going to go pick Driad up and take him back with us if that's alright with you." Since I hadn't brought up the events of my trip to the Nature Castle, the mere mention of our floral companion caused the man in green to widen his eyes in shock and blurt out, "Huh?! Driad is in a Toad House? What happened to the little guy?"

Luigi voiced his concerns, as expected from a friend who cared deeply for the condition of others, and leaned forward as if he expected my to immediately respond to his question. Now was not the right time though, because honestly, I really didn't know how to word everything in a way that would make sense to one unfamiliar with the realm that was influencing five-sevenths of the world at this very moment. "I'll fill you in on the details after we've gotten somewhere more relaxing." Was the best sentence I could muster in response, but it was thankfully enough to cause the man in green to pull himself back and nod his head in acceptance of my request.

I ran to the Toad House and knocked on the door to make sure that the owner was still up. Sure enough, he was, as he opened the door up wide and looked at me with his eyelids sagging slightly. Ok, so he was a bit tired, but as long as he had some consciousness…"I'm here to pick up Driad, if that's alright with you." I asked politely, but it didn't really made to the Toad, who just blinked his eyelids a few times and let out a light yawn. He said to me, "Go ahead, I was just about to close down for the night, so you came at the right time…"

I went into the building and pulled the covers out from on top of Driad, who was still in the same relaxing position I left him in a few hours ago. I picked him up in the grasp of my arms and walked to the door, giving the Toad House owner a thankful nod before he shut the door behind me. I headed towards Luigi, who bent his head down to look at his comrade as soon as I got close enough. "Man, he looks so peaceful…" He says, gently brushing the back of his right glove against Driad's right cheek before he lifts his head back up to look at me.

"Whatever happened, I really want to thank you for bringing Driad back here to heal." It was an honest compliment, one that overlooked my identity to show how genuine it truly was. Even though I expected there to be one, there wasn't any follow-up to Luigi's sentence, and he turned around and started moving towards the west side of town. I followed close behind, and we made it to the pipe to Mario's house in a matter of seconds. It was strange though, the fog pouring out had completely vanished and the pipe had returned to its natural green coloring.

Luigi considered its appearance to be natural, which was fine seeing as between the two of us only I knew what it looked before. I guess now I wouldn't have to bother mentioning that little detail amongst everything else. Anyways, we leapt into the pipe one after the other, and immediately our bodies were pushed through an interdimensional warp of unimaginable description that lead to our bodies being flipped around until we started dropping towards a blank white hole. As the light flashes and blinds us both, we emerge on the other side of this warp unharmed.

Luigi is the first to jump out of the opposite pipe, and I followed soon after with Driad still in my arms. I wasn't used to the sensation felt by traveling through a warp pipe, and in the midst of my stumbling I almost let go of Driad, which would certainly have awoken him had Luigi not ran behind me and suspended me in place with both of his arms pressed against my back. I gave him an embarrassed chuckle before I thanked him for his swift response, and after an approving nod of the head the man in green made his way to the humble abode. The sight of the simple wooden house with a sign that said "Mario" above the door brought a rush of nostalgia through my mind, but it was a feeling that didn't last for long as I remembered just what was missing from this scene.

The hero of the Mushroom Kingdom was still missing, and knowing what I did now I could already tell that he was a pawn of Mr. Reality, more than likely forced to be the inner guardian of the Ignitor Cave. Luigi knew that his brother was gone for now, but I couldn't even begin to comprehend the sadness he felt in regards to said disappearance. Even with the thoughts that his "Shadow" let loose, the two plumbers were brothers through thick and thin, and Luigi would never let jealousy or hatred drive him to turn against Mario. As much as I wanted to go save Mario, I had no chance but to consign to the fact that I had to do the temples in order once again.

As Luigi turned his head towards my motionless body while he stood on the porch and had his right hand on the doorknob, I was able to peer into his eyes and realize that he understood exactly what I was just thinking about. I didn't have to reassure him or nothing, he would be able to stay patient and strong until the day I brought his brother back to his front door and peace returned to the planet. I walked to the door as Luigi opened it for the both of us, and after making my way inside I immediately went towards the bedroom to lay Driad down on Mario's red sheet so he could continue sleeping undisturbed.

After I hear a couple mumbles coming from him upon seeing him snuggle the comfy fabric beneath his body, I turned around and made my way back to the living room, where Luigi had already sat himself down on the couch and laid his legs on the glass table in front of him. He leaned his outstretched arms behind him and let out an exhausted breath. Though he appeared tired, the man in green quickly sat up straight and looked at me as I walked to the front of the table and turned to look at him with my arms folded in front of my chest. "Alright…Now that we are safe and sound, I think its time you started filling me in on what has been going on…"

So I spent plenty of minutes after that telling Luigi all I knew from the beginning of my arrival to this specific point in time. I left out a couple details, specifically about the Chronicler and the true name of the realm that drew out his "Shadow", but those weren't important in the grand scheme of things, considering the man in green was able to nod his head at the end of my long-winded explanation with a great deal of understanding. Honestly, he may not look like it from a first glance, but Luigi was a very smart individual. Of course, even with my remarks about his intelligence, there was still a couple of things the man in green decided to ask me.

"…Huh, a reality warper." Luigi first expressed his troubled thoughts on the planet's opponent, folding his arms so the back of his hands supported his chin while the elbows rested on his kneecaps. He then looks back up at me, giving me a series of questions without pause, "Why can't Driad and I join you on your journey? Have you determined which of the remaining heroes might be at the other temples? Also, do you have any plan to deal with Mr. Reality when you finally get to him?" Luigi moved his arms away and leaned himself back against the couch after he was done, his face showing anticipation for my answers as I began to think about them.

The first one was easy to respond to, and I said to the man in green with my arms hung beside my body, "More than likely, you guys would return under Mr. Reality's control if you stepped even one foot into the monochrome realm. So its better for me to ride solo, since I'm unaffected." Luigi was fine with that response, so I moved on to the next question. "And the way I see it, Mallow is going to be at the next temple, Gemini at the Lightning Palace, and Mario at the Ignitor Cave. As for Geno and Alpha, I'm uncertain, since they don't really fit with either Earth or Ice…"

"Call it a gut feeling, but I think Geno will be at the Terra Cave and Alpha at the Frozen Palace." Luigi adds on to my answer, but since it was a guess I didn't nod in agreement of it. I'll find out the facts when the time arrives to fight those two, but for now my brain was wracked trying to come up with an answer on how to deal with a being who manipulated reality. The only thing I had was from the Chronicler, who stated plain as day that spirits weren't affected by the manipulation of reality. Now honestly, I was not about to kill myself and have my spirit be the end-all factor in beating Mr. Reality, so I really had nothing to combat the alien with at this very moment.

"And no, I got nothing right now to deal with Mr. Reality. I'm only two temples in, I really wasn't expecting an answer right now to be honest." That was what I chose to say to Luigi, who understood what I was getting at with a nod as he lifted his body off the couch and stood up. He turned his body to the left and gave me a somewhat uneasy stare. "I still want to get this issue sorted out with your identity before we go to bed, but I'll have you know that whether you are who you say you are or not you have earned my trust." With everything else we had talked about, I had almost forgotten about that, and though I was thankful to Luigi for saying that to me I knew I'd feel even better if we can successfully work this problem out.

"First thing I want to ask you is this. What exactly do you remember from our journey to get you the powers of the Elemental Overlord?" I answered the question in full, explaining every last detail I remembered to Luigi with only a few moments being spared to catch my breath. The story takes all of forty-five minutes, and the man in green is left with widened eyes that shows just how impressed he was that I could recall all of that. However, he returns his expression back to normal, glaring at me as if I left out a certain detail that would clench things in my favor.

But honest to god I told him everything, so if he doubted me then there was a problem that wouldn't be resolved by us alone. In the end, Luigi never expressed his thoughts and brought up another question. "Tell me, do you remember fighting a being called Tabuu? Or do you recall a time when Cackletta trapped you in something called the 'Anti-Genesis Sphere'?" For both questions I didn't have an answer. Those events were completely foreign to me, but from the way Luigi spoke it was as if a positive answer would prove crucial to further solving this problem. But I was not going to lie to a friend just to save my own identity.

"…No, I don't recall either of those things happening to me." I said hesitantly, as my heart started racing in fear of what the man in green was going to say next. He was deep in thought, and with his eyelids sealed tight I had no way of analyzing him to determine what he was feeling. I could tell he did that on purpose, perhaps to avert an increase of stress in my already panicking mind. The silence was foreboding for reasons I didn't wish to accept, but the time finally came where Luigi opened his eyelids and looked back my way. "You know, all things considered, I think you might be suffering from amnesia."

It was an unexpected thing for him to say, but for whatever reason I felt a slight feeling of relief. I folded my arms in front of my chest and said to Luigi, "Amnesia? Thank heavens, at least this means I'm not an impostor or something like that…" The man in green nods his head to show that he shares my thoughts on the matter. "You remembered most of the things that the guy I thought I traveled with knew, but your memories cut off before a particular point in your life. I'm really not going to go into details, but it is possible that said incident wiped away certain parts of your memories. After that, it is more than likely that you wandered back to Toad Town in the middle of the night when no one was around and subconsciously turned on E. Gadd's Stargadd to return to Earth. Once you made it back to your home and made your way to your bed, a simple rest allowed you to wake up feeling as if you just came back after finishing the journey that gave you your powers, only you had a new name that you had no reason to start questioning because you couldn't recall your real name in the first place."

It was a detailed explanation, but the facts did add up somewhat. Of course, I didn't wake up in my bed, but on the lawn of my home. Then again, it was not like Luigi would've known that detail. I was feeling a lot better now, but I was now a tad bit curious about the details I had forgotten. I mean, I fought the lord of Subspace and clearly came out alive, that sounds really awesome and I would be glad to recall that. So as Luigi took a pause to think about something else, I asked him kindly, "Hey, any chance you could tell me what you remember about my own past?"

Luigi's eyes flinched as he turned his head to look at me. He was nervous, I could clearly tell from the fact that his eyes stayed the way they were as he replied to me with, "Mew, take it from someone who once had amnesia about something he'd rather not remember, you are better off with me not telling you anything. Clearly, what happened to you a year ago was rather traumatizing, and you seem happy the way you are right now." It was a hastily put together reason, but I did see the point the man in green was trying to convey. However, that didn't curb my curiosity. In fact, it increased it, but now I knew that the only way to learn about my forgotten memories was to see the Chronicler again and get the information out of him.

So I decided to drop the subject, just once fibbing to Luigi by saying, "Alright, I can respect that decision." With an innocent smile that hid my inner emotions. "Well I'm glad you can. I was a bit worried that you'd be begging for answers. I was like that when Mario was reluctantly wishing to tell me about my time as Mr. L, and though I eventually got over who I once was before then that I felt guilty for a rather long while." I chuckled a bit at Luigi's comment about me beginning, but after he had finish talking out conversation finally came to an end.

Since it was now late at night, the two of us were immensely tired, and it was any wonder that we could be consistent after all that happened today. I offered to lay down on the couch without sheets, since Luigi mentioned that they didn't rather any of those nor a sleeping bag. After saying good night to each as old friends, the man in green retreated to his green-sheeted bed in the back of the house while I laid down with my head rested against the squared pillows on the right arm of the couch. I wanted to stay awake just a bit longer to think about the many events that transpired today, but my eyelids started to creak shut all on their own. I decided not to resist, and as my smile slipped into a straight expression so too did I slip into a comfy slumber. When I woke up, I would be ready to tackle the next temple…

_Next Time: To Calm the Tide_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Of Tempered Skies**

The morning came faster than I had anticipated it would. Even without the comfort of a sheet and the crutch of the ground I enjoyed my rest, waking up happy and renewed in a blink of the eye. I stretched my arms above my head as I lifted my body up into a sitting position. It had felt like it had been ten….Days since I last got out of my bed, but I was disappointed when I realized that I would be incapable of performing my usual routine. After all, I was without an extra set of clothes, and worst of all I had no bathroom accessories like a toothbrush or a comb. At the very least, I should be able to consume a nutritious breakfast.

The only problem I could foresee was if Luigi decided to use an ingredient that I hadn't tasted before. I remember eating some of the strange cuisine this planet had to offer on my previous venture, but a week's worth of food only covers the surface of the many delicacies that could be made. In the end, I would just have to wait and see what would be offered to me. I had my manners, I wasn't going to refuse a meal, especially since Luigi I was being allowed to stay here until I took care of Mr. Reality and returned to Earth.

Speak of the devil, the man in green himself peered into the living room from the kitchen to the left of me, and I quickly got a chuckle out of the fact that he had an apron on that was barely covered up by the smoke coming from the nearby stove. Whatever Luigi was baking, it was enough to draw my attention away from the humor of his ensemble thanks to its succulent aroma. "Good morning Mew, did you have a good sleep?" The man in green rushed out a waking message, making certain to avoid inhaling the smoke. I guess that's what happens when you don't have a fan to suck it all in, though I had to wonder just how they couldn't afford such accommodations considering their prestige.

"Yeah, no nightmares or nothing…Got to admit, your couch is very comfortable." I said the second half of my sentence as I lifted myself off the couch and creaked my arms back and forth. "Yeah, I had to lay down on it for the first few days we moved in here until we got a bed for myself…Anyways, breakfast is almost done, so could you get Driad up?" I was surprised that Driad hadn't awakened yet, but I figured that it would be easy to get him up if I went there myself. I walked into the bedroom and saw him snuggled under the sheets with a joyous smile on his face.

Would it be right to wake him? This peaceful slumber may be his way of dealing with what transpired yesterday. After all, Luigi proved that even with the "Shadows" possessing their bodies, the victims had some awareness of what was going on and if strong enough they could fight them from the inside. However, I was worried about how Driad would react if the first thing he saw was the person he was secretly jealous of. I kneeled down, moved my hand out towards his face, but quickly withdrew it out of nervousness for my friend's response.

"Maybe it is for the best if I do nothing and just tell Luigi that he didn't wake up right now…" I whispered to myself as I held my fist against my chest. I lifted my eyelids up and kept my teeth together while my mouth was open slightly, and as Driad started to show signs of movement I realized only one inevitability. He is going to awaken, and the issue is going to have to be dealt with when he notices me after that. "Sigh…Better to take care of it now while I got a chance to." I consigned to the hesitant solution and moved my arm back out, taking the back of my hand and brushing it against Driad's face.

He flinches for a moment, silence covering the room as he creaks his eyelids open slowly. At first he does nothing but stare at me with utter disbelief, which is understandable considering how long it has been. But as I get on my feet instead of following me with his head he quickly sits up much to the chargin of the sheets he scrambles with his sudden movements and gets a flustered glow in his cheeks. From the way he was reacting to my appearance I thought that perhaps he was still dreaming. Then, he leaps at me, wrapping both of his vine arms tightly around my body and refusing to let go.

I must admit, this was something I wasn't expecting, but at the same time his reaction just felt right. His hug was warm and tender, as he planted his face against my body and said to me in quiet happiness, "I can't believe it…You finally came back…" He sounded ready to cry in joy. I didn't think that Driad would've missed me THIS much, honestly. There was really no need to bring up the incident with his "Shadow" now, he was fine the way he was now, oblivious and happy. I wrapped my arms around Driad's head and said to him, "I missed you too, Driad…" With a warming tone of voice.

After a minute of us sharing our emotions, Luigi calls out to remind us that breakfast was ready. We embarrassingly removed our arms from each other and had an awkward conversation where the both of us tried to ask how the other has been doing as we made our way to the kitchen, but we stopped the moment Luigi asked Driad, "So did you finally recover?" "Eh?" Was all the Crayzee Dayzee said in response with a tilt of the head. I guess he didn't remember what happened like Luigi does, and as I looked at the man in green as he seemed ready to say something, he caught my motion and nervously retracted his comment to say, "Oh, nothing, I didn't say anything."

It was a reasonable enough fib, and Driad wasn't really the type of person to press issues. If need be, Luigi can fill him in on the situation after I leave to go to the Sky Temple. For now, I'd just like to enjoy a nice, peaceful breakfast. We sat down around the table, Luigi taking the plates of food he made and lining them out in front of us with the poise and grace you'd expect to see from a professional waiter. I complimented his actions, saying, "You know, if it wasn't for your job as a hero, you really should consider a job at a restaurant or something." Which caused Luigi to blush as he sat down on his table.

He tilted his hat forward to cover his eyes as he bent his head down to look at the food he made and picked his utensils up to start going at it. I looked down at my plate. It was an omelet, the top steaming slightly since it just came off the grill. Though the cheese used was white, I had no way of knowing what flavor was from a simple glance, so I used my knife to cut into the side to release even more steam from within and pluck out the pocket of ingredients with the prongs of my fork. I blew on it lightly and put it in my mouth.

My taste buds were immediately overwhelmed by the intoxicating flavors meshed into the yellow, scrambled shell. I could feel the gooeyness of the mozzarella fusing with the grilled onions and minced mushrooms, my pleasure receptors tingling as I started chewing the bitten fraction of the omelet to further experience the flavors buried within it. I thought that it was physically impossible for this breakfast to get any better, but then it happened. I tasted fried lobster, a delicacy that I didn't know existed on Plit. To describe the sensation that quivered my tongue would be like describing a vibrant landscape in one simple sentence. I had become completely overtaken by the flavor, and I swung my head back with my eyes glazed over while pulling the fork through my salivating lips and hang my arms out beside me.

Needless to say, when I finally got back up after swallowing, my actions elicited a reaction of utter confusion from both Driad and Luigi, who raise their left eyebrows and glare at me with widened eyes. The man in green, with his fork raised halfway, merely utters out, "Ok then…" Before continuing to eat. Once again, I got to into taking one bite out of a piece of food and started overly describing it as if I was a starving lunatic. "Heh, sorry about that overreaction, I was just surprised to eat such exquisite food." I apologized and complimented on Luigi's efforts, and he nods his head to forgive me.

I guess the Mario Bros. just choose to live in a humble abode, since they are clearly able to afford lobster for their meals and stuff. Or maybe Luigi went fishing, I don't know the answer to that one. Though I'll ask that later in the meal, since at the moment Driad took the point and said something to the man in green. "Hey Luigi, do you have any fruit available?" The man in green held his fork in his mouth for a few silent seconds as he nervously froze in place. He pulled the utensil out after chewing and downing his food and said after a light cough, "Umm…Heh, it seems I forgot to go to the fruit market in the past week. I'm sorry, I don't have anything for you to eat Driad."

"That's ok, watch this!" The Crayzee Dayzee enthusiastically drops his fork onto the napkin on his lap and raises his vine in the air. Suddenly, through the fibers emerges the tail end of a banana, and as the continued emergence causes both Luigi and I to perform a spit-take Driad takes his other arm and pulls the fruit right out, lowering his arm to peel the skin off for proper consumption. He giggles like an innocent child, smiling proudly at his achievement before saying to us, "I picked up this trick about a week or two ago. Not only can I produce any type of fruit or vegetable from my body, but I can do so without draining any energy."

"That…That's incredible Driad!" I was at a loss for words, so a simple compliment sufficed to express my emotions. From the way the Crayzee Dayzee blushed as he took a bite out of his banana and rested his left vine against his cheek, I could tell that he felt happy to hear that from me. So with that little event out of the way, the three of us kept eating and struck up some conversations about how our lives have been going. I said nothing about Mr. Reality's shenanigans to keep the peace, and by the time our plates were clean we had all caught up on each other's lives since the end of our journey.

It was pleasant to say the least, but I could sense the emptiness in my companion's hearts because of the lack of Mario's presence. "He really should be here to share in this moment…" I murmured as Driad went away from the table and Luigi started cleaning the dishes. The plumber was always the heart of our group, and now it was my duty to be that for everything I rescued. It was a difficult burden, and even though I was stronger Mario had much more experience, which sometimes proved to be more useful than power. "Bah, I can't really think about this too much…It just ruins the mood I had." I said to snap myself out of my serious thoughts.

After all, I deserved a bit of relaxation before I left. Of course, I had to offer my gratitude to Luigi for making such a wonderful meal and providing me a peaceful atmosphere to sleep in, so I walked over to him and started putting my experience in dish washing to good use. I didn't use my powers even though it would speed things up, since there are times when it is nice to be reminded that I am mortal. The clean-up duties took ten minutes with our combined help, and afterwards I looked around to wonder where Driad had wandered off to.

"Driad? Where are you?" I said in order to call him into view. There was no response from him, but Luigi was more than happy to turn around to answer my question. "Driad probably went out to get some fresh air. He has gotten into a habit of taking strolls after breakfast. Personally, while I like that pattern, he really shouldn't be wandering about without any clue about that realm you talked about. Thankfully, I know the route he took, so I'll quickly catch up to him and tell him about what has been going on. Now, you are welcome to stay here for a bit longer if you like, but I'd imagine you'd want to get back to your journey."

Luigi read me like a book even though he was looking at me from behind before I turned around. I was concerned from Driad's safety, but the man in green was better suited for dealing with him since I had an issue to deal with right here and now. "Thank you Luigi. And don't worry, I'll come back alive with good news about my progress." The man in green smiled and nodded his head, though I could tell that deep down he regretted not being able to travel with me once again. But those were the circumstances, and I could do nothing to change them.

So with a fond farewell, I left through the front door with Luigi stepping close behind me. Our paths diverged once we got off the porch, and I didn't turn around to see where he was headed as I went towards the pipe. I jumped into it and after the familiar sequence I arrived back in Toad Town, where the clouds were as usual parted to let the sun soak the landscape in its entirety. The Toads were moving about, going through their usual business as if the events of yesterday had not transpired.

My eyes immediately focused on a familiar robed Toad standing near the edge of a pond. I quick stroll through the crowd put me beside him, and I said to him, "What are you doing over here this fine morning?" The Master did not turn to look at me like usual, instead responding to my inquiry with, "Just reminding myself of the simple things in life. You know how long it has been since I've chosen to come here and see the sun's beaming rays reflecting on the water's gentle surface?" It was a question that I knew right off the bat he didn't expect me to answer, so I didn't make any gestures or noises and just looked at him with eager anticipation in my pupils.

He turned to look in my own eyes, and with a sudden, elderly sounding "Ha!" he said to me, "It was a bit of a trick question sonny. With the way the weather is around here, I come out here everyday to take in the clear, crystalline air rising from the waters to get my mind focused for meditation. Not to mention the water is clean enough to use in my morning tea…" The Master turned to me and took in a whiff of the air. His behavior was a bit odd, he was acting more like a stereotype instead of his own person, but as he opened his eyelids and looked up at me he said, "Sorry for the tripe clichés, but considering the fact that you have restored your control over the water element, my spoken inner thoughts had some degree of relevance…"

Geez, sometimes I wonder why I allow myself to be so easily read. Just from a single shift in my facial features, the Master knew what I was thinking and made a response that corresponded to it instantly. I folded my arms in front of my chest and said to the Toad, "Not a problem, I think it is nice that you are willing to be open about your daily life. It helps break the ice between the two of us." I said with utter honesty in my voice. "Well I'm glad you think that way. You know, you probably wouldn't believe this, but there was a time long, LONG ago when I was hot-blooded like you are now."

"Really?" I was surprised to hear that from the Master, but considering how long he claims to have been around for his comment just means that he has been this wise, caring individual for much longer than he was his younger, hot-blooded self. "Yes, but eventually the times demanded for a hero, and when the Star Spirits gave me their blessing and I lost my clan to the first invading forces of the Koopa Clan I discarded the irrational side of my personality and vowed to travel the world as an immortal being, settling down only when I found a perfect place to create a dojo and teach the worthy the ways of the world. Of course, you know all about my motivations already, but nothing about who I was before those travels…"

The Master took a brief pause in his speaking, and I used that moment to think about what has been said so far. A man living a normal, innocent life is forced to change when the circumstances called for it, that type of story had been told many times before in fiction and even reality, but to hear and witness someone who experienced those events puts a new retrospective on the person themselves. In a way, I felt a deeper connection with the wise Toad, especially since I reminded him of what he used to be. "Now, I don't mean to scare you into believing that the same will happen to you as it did to me…After all, you travel a different road than I did. You don't have the burden of an entire race, but instead that of an entire universe."

I didn't really need a reminder of that, but instead of interrupting to rudely point that out I shut myself up and let the Master continue. "There was one time I let myself slip. It was with a person who I had desired to be my pupil for his own good. I tried too hard to get him to listen, attacking a part of his personality that he was too young to conquer…And because of his own desire to defy what I said and prove that said trait was not an inherent flaw, he eventually got caught up in a series of events that…Well, ended in his death. I don't want to repeat those mistakes with you, young Mewmaster, which is why I'm handling you in a way that respects who you are while still teaching you whatever I can about the elements you control."

"I'm…I'm so sorry to hear that." My condolences were to the Master's dead 'pupil', and I felt honored to hear that he was trying to make amends via training me. "Actually, my words have some relevance to the element you just re-acquired." The Master folded his arms into his robe and turned towards the water. "After all, though life may be steady at times, there are other instances where certain events will cause it to sway back and forth. It is up to you as the controller of your life to either let the tides of destiny overwhelming you as they drag you away against you will, or you can take command of your life until the disruptions in the flow die out. You control water in a similar matter. You can either let the liquid overwhelm you, or keep your focus and guide it all in whatever direction you wish for it to go."

"But I would assume you already know what I'm talking about, correct?" The Master finished things up by asking me if I was familiar with his lesson. He was right too. Just yesterday, even before I started this new journey, I was almost ready to surrender because of my fear of Mr. Reality's powers. If I had let myself get swept away with that very fear, then I would truly have lost. By taking control of my destiny, I've already made commendable progress in restoring not just this world, but my friends as well. "Yeah, I do." I quickly say after that brief period of recollection.

The Master nods his head happily in response, smiling at me before saying, "You are coming along nicely then…I don't have anything else to teach you for the time being, so I shall let you get on your way." Even after the elderly Toad's comment he didn't leave, looking at me as if expecting me to react in a certain way. And that's when I remembered the problem with my trip to the next temple. It was near Nimbus Land, but I was without the flight powers needed to reach there. I nervously chuckled as I moved my arms away from my body, but as I was ready to say something the Master went first "I already know that you are without your flight. That's why I took the liberty to call in someone to assist you in getting there."

Before I even had a chance to react in surprise, I heard a horn honk and turned around to see a two-tier crimson taxi cab that is prevented from falling by a cloud connected on its underside. The crowd of Toads nearby back away as the vehicle lands on the ground behind me, turned to the side so the entry door is pointed my way. I recognized the machine instantly, and in my moment of exasperated disbelief I turned my head back to the Master and jumbled a sentence to try and get an answer as to how he knew to do this. Even with the confusing way I put it, the elderly Toad merely smiled and chuckled before saying, "What happens once always has a way of happening again. That is the blessing and curse of time."

The Master pulls his arms out and folds them behind his back, walking past me towards the Nimbus Taxi in hopes that I would soon follow him. Even as I did that, I had a question to ask him, "But how did you get in contact with this guy?" "Simple. He wasn't around the vicinity of Nimbus Land when Mr. Reality did his business, so I called his service after you restored the Nature Castle and told him to be here by today. Fate is also a cruel mistress, but that doesn't mean that she won't sometimes work in our favor."

As we approached the doors, they flung open and a cloud person wearing blue jeans, a black police officer outfit, and a blue leather hat waved to us from the driver's seat. He said to the Master as if he was a familiar face, "Greetings Master, where do you wish to go today?" "Oh, I'm not the one traveling here. My friend, the young Elemental Overlord beside me, wishes to go to Nimbus Land." The bus driver raised his eyes in suspicion as he looked at me, following up with, "Wait a second, didn't the Elemental Overlord kid di-" The Nimbusian freezes mid-sentence, sweating as the Master glares at him for some unknown reason.

After the spectacle whose purpose was not known to me, the bus driver continued his sentence at the pronunciation point he left off at, "-iiiecide to go back to Earth? Sorry about the misspelling and pronunciation, I just didn't expect to see you ever again, that's all, yeah…" He was a bit nervously, but he went back to a normal mood as he turned towards the wheel and said to me, "Well hop on in. I'll take you straight there without any difficulties." After thanking the Master for his efforts, I leapt into the taxi and the doors shut behind me. I walked deeper into the vehicle and went for the first seat I could find as the machine started to lift off, ready to take me to the now corrupted city in the sky…

_Next Time: The Crash of…Thunder_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: The Toxic Storm**

I enjoyed the comfort of the Nimbus Bus' cloud covered seats as we rode upward towards Nimbus Land. My arms were laid back against my head, and the fluffiness meshed well with my skin and caused me to let out a joyous hum. But even as I was enjoying this period of tranquility, the real danger was coming closer with each passing second. The driver was unaware of the realm we were about to enter, and even I had no clue about what would happen when a Nimbusian came in contact with the "Midnight Channel". The driver had been suspiciously quiet ever since he picked me up, but he obviously knew who I was, so getting him to listen should be a piece of cake.

I folded my body forward, resting my arms in a fold on my kneecaps before lifting one eye up and saying to the driver, "Hey, can I ask you something real quick?" The driver peeks his head to the right slightly so one eye can stay on the sky in front of the vehicle as he responds with a "Y-yeah, shoot." In a somewhat nervous tone of voice. "Did the Master tell you why I want to go to Nimbus Land?" I quickly say after taking his attitude into consideration. "N-No. He told me that you would tell me when the time was right. Though he did mention that your reason had something to do with why I suddenly woke up in my bus in the middle of a grassland…"

"Well, to put it in simple terms, there is currently a reality warping alien in control of Plit, and he has probably turned the area around Nimbus Land into a realm that puts everyone but me under his control. He also robbed me of my powers, so I'm going to the Sky Temple to restore that element and return the sky to its normal state." Admittedly, even putting it as nicely as possible, there was no way to stop the driver from freaking out and nearly swerving the bus off its proper course with a quick, nervous turn of the wheel.

I kept in my seat with nothing more than my own force of will, but by the time the disruptions came to an end the driver had flattened the vehicle in the middle of the air and halted its movement entirely with a simple step on the brakes. He turned around past the seat and looked at me if I was a lunatic. "Are you crazy?!" Since he couldn't read my mind though, he had to vocally express what I already knew he was feeling. "If I get put under someone else's control, then who is going to drive you the rest of the way to Nimbus Land?!"

"I should be able to manage with my water powers, especially since you have a solid surface for me to launch myself off of." "And where does that leave me exactly? I doubt the first thing that alien is going to focus on is using me to keep the vehicle afloat. He'll try and have me kill you!" The driver had a pretty good point, but at the same time I had a counterargument to give him. I stood up with confidence and with my eyelids calmly closed I said to him, "Even if you become a zombie like the Toads did, I will pick you up and bring you up safely to Nimbus Land. I'll just carry you in a water orb so you don't try and chomp my flesh off."

As I open my eyes I noticed that the driver was starting to calm down. He caught his breath to keep himself steady, and after a heavy sigh he looks at me with more confidence found because of my vow. "You sure it will work?" He still asked one more question to make sure that I was telling the truth, probably because he couldn't read me with my eyelids shut. So I kept them open this time and firmly said to him, "Yes." "Alright then. Sorry for not believing you." The Nimbusian apologized and smiled at me before he turned around and revved up the engines with a turn of the key.

I sat back down and felt as the vehicle slanted upward and started to rise forward once more. It was a slow ascension, but it gave me enough time to think about what will happen a little further. It'll be now problem for me to save the driver if he is a solid form, but what if he turns into vapor? That is entirely possible, and that's not something I can exactly contain in water without killing him. I opened the window and looked out. I could see the monochrome realm approaching us in the distance. The driver still moved towards it, even increasing the speed of the vehicle to further express his trust in me.

"Alright, better get ready…" I stood up and hung onto the back of the chair, drawing my sword into my left hand before saying to myself once more, "I'm transforming on my own terms now…" I pulled the blue trigger casually without a second thought, defying Mr. Reality's control over my powers as an orb of water consumes my body whole. The sparkling liquid departs into my now held trident in seconds, leaving me wearing a light-blue vest with a white t-shirt underneath it. My jeans had turned into dark-blue latex pants, with a belt wrapped around the waist that holds a short mage's staff in a holster separate from the one that would hold my trident. There is a Japanese symbol for "Ocean" on the left side of my vest, and from a reflection in the steel pole in front of me I could see that my eyes had become a blue-green color my hair now having the same color as that of a clear afternoon sky.

By the time I had noted the details in my new appearance, the cloud's colors had become completely absorbed into that of the "Midnight Channel's". All the was left unaffected was myself, as usual. The bus driver grew silent as the vehicle continued to move on its own towards the end destination. I saw his right arm lower away from the wheel, the rest of his body falling backwards against the seat before it eerily begins to disintegrate. "Oh no…Don't tell me." As the body then starts to shrivel into nothingness, an ethereal gas is excreted from the cloudy skin, a quiet, low-pitched shriek increasing in magnitude and number as its form grow larger with each passing second.

I reacted with fear, an understandable emotion considering how the cloud suddenly expanded to encompass my only way out. I tried to back away, but my feet were frozen, paralyzed thanks to an oblivious brief inhaling of the air. The gas was edging closer, and deep within this formless force I could see some jagged yellow eyes peering into me. My body stiffened, and I suddenly felt nauseous as fear gripped me tighter. I could've easily cut off the cloud from my body with a wall of water had I not made the mistake of breathing when it was not necessary.

Was it a type of poison that was making my body sweat as much as it was? Or was it the overwhelming fear that was pushing me towards a breaking point? I had no answer, only that I felt that I wasn't going to survive this encounter if I kept standing around any longer. "Headstrong determination, that's what keeps me going…" Remembering the one trait that kept me alive through all other troubles dispelled the fear in my body, but the cloud had nearly consumed me and I was still growing weaker by the second. I wouldn't give up though, not until I fell to my knees with my weapon planted to the ground.

It seems as though my defiance was being heard by the gods though, for a familiar bright light shines out from the middle of Nimbus Land and consumes the vehicle whole. The next thing I know, I'm suddenly creaking my eyelids open, my vision pointed towards a smog covered grey sky as I feel the comforting surface of a massive cloud rubbing against all sides of my body. My arms and legs had been forcibly stretched out, and I could feel a faint presence standing beside me. I turned my head, and who else would be there but the Chronicler in all his robed glory.

I was puzzled, there were many things that weren't fitting together simply because of his appearance. First of all, my body felt completely healed, as if the poison or whatever the heck that cloud was composed of had never entered at all. Second, as I lifted my head up I looked around and noticed the vacant houses and palace of Nimbus Land behind me, meaning that I was somehow taken out of the vehicle that was now resting on the surface far away from my body. Finally, there was the fact that I even sensed energy coming from the Chronicler. No matter how faint it was I never detected anything before.

I raised myself up off the ground, turning my body towards the being as I sat and waited for him to say something. "So you are awake…Good, for a moment there, I thought the purging of those toxins wouldn't prove to be successful." He says in his usual, mysterious tone of voice. "Wait…" I say as I hold my forehead with a bit of wooziness being felt from my sudden lifting motion. "You did what now?" My inquiry was met with a chilling chuckle and the Chronicler's arms being folded into his robes. "I used my mystical powers to force the toxins to be excreted through your sweat glands. You know, if you had a viable amount of time to do so, even you could do the same thing with your water powers."

The only thing I could say at first was "Thanks", since without his help I would've died in the bus like a chump. But then I inquired to him, "How did you get the bus up here? Did you also use magic?" My second sentence was dripping with sarcasm, but the Chronicler merely took it in stride and responded with his own humorous quibble "No, I just phased through the vehicle, took a solid form for a few minutes, and unfroze the bus from time so I could drive it up here." Admittedly, I did laugh at it before I got back on my feet and turned to look down at the being.

"But seriously, once again you saved my life. I don't really know how I can repay a spirit, but if I manage to find a way I will." I said with a deep feeling of gratitude towards the man. "It was the right thing to do." The Chronicler stated truthfully. "Now, I need to fill you in on the situation plaguing Nimbus Land." I looked towards the smog, especially since I knew that was going to be the topic of our discussion. The Chronicles tilted his head up as well and began expositing. "The 'Midnight Channel', as you so decidedly called it, has turned all the Nimbusians into a deadly toxin cloud that paralyzes, poisons, and inflicts fear onto anything that it can slip itself into. No one is immune to it, but for the moment it is at the most subdued stage in its evolution."

I lowered my head down in surprise and confusion. "Wait, evolution? You mean this thing is…" The Chronicler interrupts me with, "A sentient being…That is correct. Worst of all, with each stage in its evolution, the cloud will adapt to anything that can stop it or purge it from the body in its previous state. Which means my method won't work if it were allowed to evolve. Worst of all, if my calculations are accurate, in a matter of hours the smog is going to advance towards the surface to destroy anything that can take in its body. But this will only affect everyone still under the influence of this realm, which consists of five-sevenths of the planet."

I knew what the Chronicler was getting at right away. He was talking mass genocide via this toxic storm, and the only way to stop it was to restore Nimbus Land and its inhabitants before it could spread. "So I need to get moving towards the Sky Temple then…" As I stated this obvious fact I realized something and began to worry almost immediately. My vacant eyes were noted by the Chronicler, who said, "What is wrong, Overlord Mewmaster?" In a surprisingly nurturing tone of voice.

"The Sky Temple only appears at the strike of noon. It is currently about eleven o' clock if I'm right in my assumption…I can't wait another hour for the temple to appear, the smog will identify and kill me within seconds of you dropping your time freezing spell." Surprisingly, the Chronicler was not intimidated by my concerned behavior. He folded his arms into his cloak and quickly offered an answer to my predicament. "The Sky Temple works like a sundial, moving around Nimbus Land with the shifting of the suns rays. It was outfitted with a time related spell that makes it visible only at a specific time since that is when the sun would be perfectly aligned with the temple itself. However, with time being of no consequence at the moment in this realm, the temple is…Well, just look above and behind you for a moment."

I did just as he suggested, turning my body around and poking my head upward to see exactly what he said I would. The underside of the floating temple was looming above, just in reach for me if I were to use my water powers to launch myself off from the roof of the nearby house. "Well would you look at that…" I stated to show that I was impressed with the Chronicler's correct deduction. As I turned around to thank him, he began to speak once more. "Remember the story I started the last time we saw each other? Do you wish to hear more of it before I leave?"

It was a surprising gesture, but one that was of little harm to me. After all, with time frozen I had plenty of…Well, time to hear him out. "Sure, go for it." I said. I could tell that the being creaked a smile behind the shadow's of his hood, but this one didn't reek of death like the previous one did. _"Death and an eternal turmoil of the mind…It all started one otherwise harmless day. Everything was going well, the child had a good night's rest on the end of the previous day, he woke up to a breakfast of pancakes and eggs, he went to the park with his family, had a delicious picnic, and later a warm shower and a luxurious BBQ. All of this would lower anyone's guard to the troubles of tomorrow, but who would ever expect a kid to suspect any disaster to happen in his young lifetime?"_

"_The black shroud of night fell, illuminated by the stars of the cosmos, and the innocent cries of the owls signaled peace to all who heard them. But amidst the serenity of nightfall, a couple of parents took their child out to a Cliffside for their weekly stargazing. The child was particularly tired after this long, productive day, and with much consent from both parents he was brought back to the comfort of his car and the radio played a melodious tune that lured him into a slumber within seconds. It was a song that his mother had hummed to him many times before, but this time it was used as a prelude to a nightmare."_

"_What awoke him was not the sound of his mother or father's voice, but a deafening boom from outside the protection of the car. The child's heart skipped a beat, and he unlocked the door and jumped outside in a tired daze. His eyes widened in abject horror as he gazed upon the Cliffside and saw that it had burst into flames, a huge chunk of it missing thanks to an as of then unknown force of nature. The smoldering chunks of land that had flown onto the ground just barely missed the child, who was soon on his knees in frozen disbelief as denial and fear both gripped his fragile mind."_

"_His parents had died that very moment, but the boy was unaware of what transpired. Or rather, he refused to accept the chain of events that begun to warp his immature mind. But why should the suffering end there? The worst was yet to come, but I think I've said enough for now…" _The Chronicler left the tale on the most tragic note, but I didn't get what he meant when he said that things were going to get worse. "Huh…" Was all I said after he was done, and the Chronicler responded with "I will reveal more when we meet again in front of the Lightning Palace. For now, it shall soon be time for time to resume its normal course, and I must be the one to return the flow with my departure."

"I just don't get it, for an observer, you sure are assisting me a lot more than I believe one of your nature should logically be allowed to." I brought up to the being as he raised his left arm into the air and drew his glowing orb from the confines of the sleeve. "It is because I believe in your destiny providing some interesting tales for future generations to look back at…" He said with an obvious sneer poking through thanks to the light of the orb. "After all, inspiration is the cornerstone of progress, the instigator that defies stagnation…Now then, I believe you have a job to do, yes?"

He was right. I couldn't just stand around pestering him with questions when he had a LOT of work to do. We both did, actually, but comparing the significance of our jobs was an impossible task. I quickly nodded to the Chronicler and used my acrobatic skills to launch myself onto the roof of the closest house I could get to, and kept my feet balanced on the bamboo rod border as the mysterious being gave me one last hint of advice. "Also, while the temple will maintain its solidified form so long as the 'Midnight Channel' is up, the moment you free this area from its grasp it will sink into its ethereal form unless you are there at noon. Which more than likely, you won't be."

I nodded to show that I understood his warning, and after turning towards the temple I bent down and arched my arms out beside me. I commanded a bundle of water to form and swirl below my body in the form of a shallow pool. My skin is unaffected by the touch of liquid in this form, and after a few more seconds of it rotating around my feet and thrust my arms upward. The sudden motion commands the water to become a powerful torrent that carries me upward towards the Sky Temple, the spiral staying condensed so long as I stay focused on it. I hold my arms out beside me now that the momentum had already been provided.

I never looked downward, but I stopped myself from breathing momentarily and closed my eyes as I passed through the smog of toxicity. I felt sorry for all the Nimbusians who were forcibly converted into his mesh of poison, fear and paralysis, and even though I knew that there was a survivor my knowledge came with the gripping fact that they were currently possessed by their "Shadow" to do combat with me. Mallow, the prince of Nimbus Land, was gonna be my opponent at the end of the temple this time. But at the start, I didn't know what to expect to be facing.

A flash of light covered the skies as I passed the smog, and time resumed to its normal pace as I continued towards the temple. I was safe from the toxins for now, but like every other temple beforehand this was going to be a one-way trip until I restore this land to its former glory. I did know one thing for certain, that was that the one way this trip was going to lead me towards was not going to be death. I heard a crackle as I went through my though process, and raised my eyebrow in suspicion. There was no way I should be hearing a thunderclap around here, especially since I'm going towards the Sky Temple.

And yet the sound ruptures the air again, and with a flash of light I see a sizzling lightning bolt heading my way. In my current form, I would be fried to a crisp, so I redirected the flow of the torrent of water so I would have a better vantage point to launch my body from. The lightning strikes the diagonal branch of water as I fly past the bolt and head towards the series of cloud platforms in front of the temple's entrance. My propulsion ended just in the nick of time, and I landed on the cloud to face the foe who fired upon me.

There was a 3x3 grid of puffy, wide, grey clouds with yellow eyes, and sitting on top of the middle cloud on the top row was a turtle-like creature with a small black shell, foggy white glasses, and arms raised above their head. I recognized the creature as Lakithunder, a Lakitu that, as the name suggests, can control electricity. Admittedly, this was NOT the type of opponent I wanted to be facing here, but considering the lack of notable Lakitus in the Mario-verse, it wasn't too surprising that Mr. Reality chose the one that could counter my water powers. As I swung my trident out from my holster, I thought to myself with my teeth grit in annoyance, "But really, why couldn't it have been Lakilester?"

**The Thunder Hidden in the Sky: Sky Lord Lakithunder**

The creature started the battle aggressively, slamming its palm into the cloud it currently controls to spark electricity in it. A few streams of the energy transfer swiftly to the cloud beside it, and move around sporadically so I have no real way of following it. Eventually I catch a glimmer coming from the eyes of the middle-right cloud and watch as it opens its mouth and fires a beam of electricity at me. It is composed of four different streams that coil together into a cylinder form, but the danger would be great even with one of them coming my way.

I jump diagonally backwards, watching as the creature sends another bolt flowing through the clouds, this time to one that is right in front of me. I quickly swing my trident in front of me to cut the air with three streams of water that blocks the shots at the cost of the ensuing explosion dragging my braced body across the ground a few feet. With the distance between me and the target increased and the electric bolts still targeting me, I had to speed up my thought process to come up with a countermeasure. The bolts were targeting the areas where I was standing at, that much was obvious. But to launch an attack myself I would have to see how much time it took between each shot being fired.

I increased my focus and paid attention to the electricity as it surged from the first cloud through a few others until it reached the one straight in front of me on the middle row. It fired out, and I backflipped in the air, keeping track of the seconds in my head as Lakithunder slams the cloud again and sends a bolt to the left of him, only for it to spiral around back to the same cloud before it fires at me as I begin to land. "Five seconds between each shot…" I locked in that estimated number and threw my trident out so it could conduct the electricity. After all, so long as I had my staff, I still had a connection to the elements.

The voltage coursed through the staff and was expunged out of the prongs in a short burst, leaving my weapon suspended in mid-air until it fell against the surface of the cloud. I landed on my feet and Lakithunder spread his arms up to open a hole beneath the trident to make it drop, thinking that I would no longer be able to use it if it was out of reach. But I commanded the weapon with telekinesis to stop spinning and arch around until it starts rising beneath me. All the while I fling a few streams of water outward with a flick of the wrists to stop the lightning streams as soon as they emerge.

Annoyed by my efforts, the Lakithunder pounds his cloud twice with both hands, a sound mimicking a bongo drum ringing through my ears as two lightning bolts thrust through the clouds and fire my way as streams. There is one coming straight at me while another is shot diagonally upright from it. This was clearly done to corner and fire bolts at me where I'd have no way of escaping. I leapt to the left to dodge the shot, extending my right arm out to pluck my trident out as it pierced the clouds. I stamped my feet into the ground to stop myself from going off the edge, just in time for the next bits of lightning to pass through the grid of clouds.

I wait for the next bolts to prepare to fire, one in front of me and another to the right of my feet, and then I hold my trident in mid-air, suspending it with my mind and spinning it like a saw blade with water erupting from all edges. The liquid discus absorbs the electricity and directs it towards the trident without causing a chain reaction. When the lightning has come to an end I cause the water to drizzle out and grab the trident after the voltage has dispersed, pulling the weapon into my hand and looking out towards my opponent.

I just needed one shot. Hit the main cloud right as it fires electricity and it'll fry the sucker to a crisp. It would be a swift but painful demise. Unfortunately, I had a short window of which to hit him with. He fired two streams of lightning at a time now, and all it takes was for one to hit me and I would be done for too. Five seconds between each attack, center of the top row. "Ok, time to do this…" I leapt out of the way of two streams that were fired from the lowest clouds, rolling across the main platform and swinging my trident across the air as I kneel down. A blade of water flies out and cuts through the bottom row of clouds with ease.

They don't disintegrate though, forming back together in a matter of seconds, but Lakithunder is forced to use the other rows to fire lightning blasts at me in the meantime. I duck under them, holstering my trident and with a swing of the arm creating an arced trail of water that would allow me to mesh into it and launch myself out above all the clouds. I keep myself kneeled, letting the water suck me in and gliding along the surface with my legs acting as a surfboard. At the end I thrust my body forward, spiraling around like a torpedo gently over the six streams of lightning that were launched from all clouds as soon as I left the surface of the cloud.

The electricity lasted for quite a while, but not a single part of my skin or attire even grazed the massive voltage. I spun my body forward to land on the very edge of the cloud, summoning forth a giant wall of condensed water to keep myself from falling off. The grid had been reformed, but I take the water I summoned behind me after getting my footing and launched it out in four different cylinder streams. The first two shoot forward through the bottom and middle rows, taking out the clouds with ease as the other two streams rise into the air and separate from each other before they descent in the form of cascading waterfalls that take out the two clouds beside Lakithunder.

That took all of ten seconds, and I theorized that no more electricity came out because the creature had used all the clouds at once. I jumped at the opportunity to end the battle as Lakithunder turned his cloud to me and swung it around his body multiple times, charging up for one final attack since the other clouds would likely not respawn by the time I attacked myself. But I was one step ahead of him, flicking my trident at him swiftly like a dart, the prongs impaling themselves right between the eyes and mouth of the cloud and stiffening its movements to an absolute halt.

The electricity is drawn into my golden weapon, and with one snap of the fingers in front of my slanted eyebrow face all the remaining water behind me is drawn around my form as liquid tendrils, launching themselves at the bottom of the trident's staff and swirling together into a drill-like tip that pushes through the weapon until it drags in the excess electricity and pushes outward through the prongs. Overfilling the cloud with water that had been poisoned by the voltage that was now coursing through it caused a massive chained reaction that was started with a bulge pushing outward from the backside of the cloud.

This is followed by multiple bulges appearing on all sides of its form, and the end result of this sensation is a all too quick burst that sends the Lakitu himself rocketing far away from the temple, alive but without his mode of transportation. The echoing pop that comes from the busted cloud forces my heart to pound against my chest once out of surprise, and I very nearly get cut across the face by my trident as it falls down in front of me. I should consider myself lucky that none of the electricity dripped liquid splattered into my face, since I actually hadn't accounted for what would happen to the cloud after my efforts had succeeded.

Either way, as I picked up my weapon and holstered it after a quick spin I looked towards the temple's entrance. As expected, the outer guardian was easy to beat and left me still raring to go against the inner guardian, and even with my reluctance I knew I would have to eventually consign to the fact that my friends would always be waiting for me at the end of each temple, controlled to combat me against their will. I never would be able to convert them back with reason, I would always have to use brute force. If I had another way of stopping them I would gladly use it, but that was a reality that would never come to be. I made my way to the temple entrance, my prayers being used to ask for my friend's forgiveness before I reached them once more…

_Next Time: A Tyrant within a Princ_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: All Kneel to the King**

I walked in through the front door of the Sky Temple, making my way through a wide-open hallway with walls covered in cotton covered vines until I reach a massive gap that splits the room in two. This place doesn't have a different color compared to the outside world, which makes sense considering the element I'm dealing with. I remembered how the room blocks out all magic to prevent an easy crossing, but I didn't believe that such a spell was in effect since I was still in my form. I scratched my scalp, trying to remember as hard as I can as to what we did the last time to get to the other side.

"I think Mario did something unconventional…" I looked up towards the ceiling as a faint memory rises to the surface of my mind. To my disappointment, there was no pale white vine slipping out slightly through the cracks. "Well I guess that makes sense. After all, I can't use the Cloud Flowers." But that just begged the question as to how I would cross the gap then. I wasn't going to trust the cloud beneath the floor to stay together while I created a bridge of water to the other side. I was distracted by the faint presence of water in the room. I knew that there was bits of moisture built up in the clouds, but this sensation was different from the one I sensed in the fluffy structures.

It came from the right of me, in the part of the wall that had the most bricks keeping it together. I moved over to it and glared into it. I could definitely see the sky outside in all of its monochrome "glory", so the scenery wasn't an illusion. What was though, as I soon discovered by putting my right hand out in front of me, is the wall itself. I wiggled my fingers, each one distorting it in a different direction. "Fog…" I said to myself, pulling my hand back and resting the tip of my center three fingers against the bottom of my lips as I thought about the illusion a bit more.

There was something familiar about the energy I sensed was used to create this fake wall, and unlike the last time I felt it there was not a friendly will but a hostile intent coming from it. If I passed through this with my whole body, there is no doubt that a trap would activate on the other side. Of course, at least I'd have a chance of surviving that. If there nothing on the other side, I would fall to my death with no hope of survival. "Should I take the chance?" I asked myself. Fog is meant to deceive people on purpose, only the most perceptive of the lot should be able to discern the truth from the lies amidst the nearly sightless atmosphere.

"I have to take a risk." I said to myself, admitting that the best option here was to be reckless for once. Though I did want to have some safety measure put into place in case my second concern was true. I backed up and held my left arm out, closing my eyes to begin imagining the area behind the false wall. I carved the outline of a platform of water that I could step on only in this form, the two-dimensional form being filled in with a single thought only a few seconds later. I kept focus on the platform's creation and began to walk forward, bravely passing through the foggy wall in stepping down onto the steady water platform.

But my foot's contact with the platform sent a few light ripples through the structure, which didn't cause it to break apart mind you, but almost caused me to flinch in panic for a second. I lowered my arm now that the platform was bonded to my feet, creaking my eyelids open to see the sight set before me. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I saw blue skies and pure white clouds scattered across the way. It painted the scenery for a crumbling brimstone spiral walkway that led towards a massive cylinder that the doorway in the previous room would've lead me to. I had to wonder why this room was untouched when all other areas in the previous temples were kept to one type of color.

It was then that it hit me. Mr. Reality knew about these temples and knew what to change based on what was in the memories he probably read in my mind using his powers, but this was an area that I had never traversed before so it remained untouched. Even though I knew where this lead me to, I didn't have any idea just what would await me when I got to the end. For now though, I would be able to enjoy the walk across the thin pathway from beginning to end. I needed this break, it would help me clear my head of any negative thoughts before I had to fill them again with the concerns that arose from confronting another of my friends. I reached the spiral in a matter of seconds, sniffing in the clear air as I looked around once more and marveled at the sights around me.

"Its hard to believe how realistic the environment is. The Elemental Overlord had to have worked really hard to recreate the atmospheric effect that makes the sky appear blue to us on the planet's surface…" Not to mention that on top of that, the oxygen I breathed in was pure, devoid of any carbon dioxide. "Such a shame about the time limit…This would be a nice place to lay back and take a nap were it not for that." I continued on my after with that thought in my mind, breaking out of my calm as I reached the top of the spiral and began to take the pathway towards the circular doorway that led into the large metallic cylinder.

I pulled my staff out from the holster of my belt, feeling that I would need it soon based entirely on intuition. Suddenly, the stones below my feet began to rumble. I kept myself steady by spreading my legs for support, pulling my arms out and looking around as the color in the sky began to fade away, taking on a liquid-y form and draining down the sides into a hole that just appeared at the bottom of the room. The pathway started to come crashing down one bit at a time, starting mainly from the entrance and continuing at a rapid pace towards my current destination.

With the way the stones were breaking upon making contact with the ground, I could only begin to imagine such a similar fate befalling me in my head as I pulled my head back in disgust and surprise before making a dash for the end of the hallway. I turned my head behind me and saw the crumbling stones catching up to me in spite of my speed, and this actually caused me to worry as I looked down and noticed that past the hole the colors were deposited through the cloud of toxic smog was waiting to consume me.

I was actually beginning to think that if I fell I could easily get back up with my water powers, but now with the risk the toxic cloud presented I had no choice but to keep up my sprint until I reached the very end of the pathway. In the midst of my charge I had almost failed to notice the lack of a platform through the doorway at the end. The pathway was only an inch away from collapsing below my feet, so I had to act quickly. I threw my right hand into the air, summoning the platform of water that would cushion me as I tumble forward with both arms stretched out in front of my head and my legs pulled behind me and land on the ground seconds later, curling my arms and performing a somersault that gets me to safety in just the nick of time.

Speaking of nicks, I managed to nick my kneecaps against the chipped rocks, though thanks to the protection of my jeans I didn't suffer any damages besides a cut through the fibers and a light scratch on the skin. I kneeled down on the platform with my right leg and stretched the left one out to work out the kinks in the bones, and then proceeded to alternate which legs were in what positions before I said to myself, "Another sanctuary tainted…Is there any of the Overlord's temples he hasn't defiled?"

"_That is something for you to discover if you continue to survive…" _Mr. Reality's voice brought me to my feet in furious anger, clenching my fists as I spun my head around to try and find his putrid little face staring at me through his usual method of contact. But this time there was nothing to be found. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" I blurted out, having lost control of rationality simply because I was getting sick and tired of everything the alien had done to both myself and the innocent populace of the planet. _"Nowhere that is important to you, at the very least not yet. But I am watching you at all times, and I'm a little disappointed in you for trying to cheat…"_

"What do you mean, cheat?" I call to him with my eyebrows slanted in disgust. _"You follow my rules and designs…That room you were just in is not part of the design, and by traversing it you avoided the puzzle that was set up for you in the entrance hallway."_ Reality responded to me in a tone designed to berate me fully for my supposed error, but I lashed back at him, saying, "Well sorry for not doing things your way, but I thought that room was meant to be the solution to that puzzle." There was actually a period of silence after that which I used to calm myself down slightly and loosened my fingers from their current position. _"…Hmm, I guess you didn't know about that area. I suppose I overreacted then…"_

It was strange to see Mr. Reality apologizing for a mistake, but I would feel a bit happier if he actually showed remorse and apologized for everything he had done upon until now. _"I will admit this inconveniences me a bit since I'll now have to travel to the other temples and look for any other secret areas and re-arrange the puzzles accordingly. However, I'm going to do something rather uncharacteristic of a game master and give you a free pass through this room…" _After that sentence that had a hint of regret in the way it was spoken, I no longer heard his voice and suddenly found myself surrounded by a sphere of light.

I was then thrust through the air at high-speeds, my body barely being able to stay in place thanks to the velocity I was traveling at. Eventually the containment field broke and let me off at the top of the cylinder, though I was flung forward onto the ground belly first much to my annoyance. "I guess he couldn't resist taking another jab at me despite being helpful…" I bemoaned in my mind as I pulled myself onto my feet once again and brushed the dirt off of my jeans. Of course, as I lifted my head up I wondered why I even did that, since there was a light shower coming down from the ceiling in front of me that could've washed my clothes off for me.

…Or drip acid that would melt me down to my basic elements. That sounds like the type of thing he'd try and pull on me after all. Still, acid had water as a base, so I held my arms out and pulled them out to the side, parting the falling drops like a curtain so I could pass through them without any worries whatsoever. "Really, the only thing useful about this shower is that it got rid of the Cloud Suits on the Mario Bros…." I said to myself as I moved my arms back into my body to let the shower return to its normal position. After all, when I got everything restored I wouldn't have to worry about it again.

Without anymore concerns I entered the final room of the temple, where I was greeted by a dark-red carpet with rough golden edges that led the way to an emerald bordered throne at the top of a short stairway. I didn't have a time to detail the rest of the environment, because my friend was sitting on the throne at this very moment. Mallow, the little Nimbusian who I once easily identified thanks to his bushy blue and white striped pants, innocent smile and curled-up strand of pink hair instead wore an eerie, menacing smile, a tattered red cape on the back of his body, a jagged silver crown with blue jewels in the center of the points above his head, and the right arm that is leaned against the arm of the chair has a demonic onyx staff tipped with a blood red six-sided three-dimensional jewel held in his grasp.

"I knew you would arrive eventually, Overlord." The only thing familiar was his voice, which still maintained some innocence despite the grim echoes buried within. "Mallow…" No, I couldn't truly call him that. No matter the appearance, this was his "Shadow", not the real deal. This was an unholy reunion, made worse by my concern over the tyrant-like appearance the "Shadow" had taken to. "What lured you here? Was it your feeble desire to restore your control over the Sky domain, or your pathetic sympathy towards the fate of the Nimbusians I converted into that toxic smog for my own goals?"

"What?" I stared at Mallow in disbelief for a few moments as he casually admitted to such a heinous crime. "But they were your own people, why would you use them in such a way?!" I called out to question his sanity. "My people, or my pawns? I guess it doesn't make a difference what you or I choose to call them, I'd use them for my purpose all the same. You see, I created the cloud to use as an ultimatum for the planet. Either they make me the king of the world, or I will bury the planet in the smog one city at a time." "That's ridiculous." I noted with much disgust as Mallow finished explaining the purpose of the giant cloud. "What would even drive you to go that far?"

"You know how my father is the King of Nimbus Land?" Mallow starts off the answer with another question to try and confirm my knowledge, and I nod my head once before he sits up straight and rests his scepter on the arm of the throne. "That foolish man sought to give me the throne as soon as I got back from our original journey, but I declined. You want to know why? Ever since I learned who I was and what my people were, I wanted to prepare myself for the day when I would have to lead them, I wanted to be confident that I could take over as the king. But did he take my feelings into consideration? No, he just wanted to force me onto the throne because he was too incompetent to continue running the city himself…"

"But I don't need his blessing now. I not only have the confidence to rule over Nimbus Land, but the confidence and power necessary to make the entire world bend to me! And I will be doing it all on my terms!" With the last bit declared with a high amount of emphasis on the "my" as he points at himself with his right hand, Mallow finished making his purpose known. It was ridiculous though. I mean, I could see the true self that the 'Shadow" portrayed to me, but the extremes it was going through just seemed far too uncharacteristic of Mallow. "You aren't going to be a king though…Threatening the populace with the cloud, keeping it around to maintain your iron-fisted rule…You'll be a tyrant, nothing more, nothing less."

This clearly angered the "Shadow", who lifted his body up and said to me with a growling tone, "King, tyrant, emperor, why do you think I care at all about the title I'll be labeled as? I'll be the undisputable ruler of the planet as soon as I get rid of you!" He picks his staff up and brandishes the jeweled tip at me brimming with confidence, but I merely scoff at his demeanor and pull out my own staff. I raise my left hand in front of my face and tilt it so he can see the battle-ready frenzied look in my eyes. "You must be pretty confident now if you think you can conquer a god. Fine, I accept your challenge, and I will have you off that throne and freed from the 'Midnight Channels' influence in no time Mallow!"

**The Would-Be King In the Sky: Shadow Mallow**

This would be a battle of spells, since close-ranged attacks would just get me fried to a crisp by one of Mallow's lightning based moves. I started off by holding my staff forward, the top glowing with a pale blue aura before water launches out from a ring behind me in the form of a spiraling serpent. The beast launches itself at Mallow, who takes his staff without removing his position from the throne and points it at my attack. With the glow of his own jewel the room is filled with the crackle of thunder, and a flash of light heralds the thrust of lightning straight through the room.

The bolt pierces the mouth of the water serpent, tearing it apart bit by bit as it makes its way towards me. I notice this halfway through the piercing motion, jumping out of the way as it crashes into the floor and breaks it apart. The ensuing plume of dust and the cloud of smoke don't affect me as I take my staff and swing it in a circle in front of my body, moving it closer inward towards the center point until a perfect spiral is created. From this I draw forth a typhoon that rips apart the ground and bits of the ceiling on its way to charge towards Mallow.

The smoke is dispersed in various directions before it is sucked in, but with his vision cleared the cloud Prince takes his staff once more and shows no fear at my next attack as he casually swings his magical weapon and summons forth a wall of thick lightning to absorb the brunt of my attack. A little water splashes off of the sides of his powerful defense, splattering against the wall behind him and sticking to it with relative ease. While Mallow's "Shadow" is busy waiting for my onslaught to end, I command that very water behind his sight to pull away and heat up, turning themselves into miniature needles that rain down at the Nimbusian Prince.

To my surprise the needles strike his fluffy skin, puncturing right through it and causing his eyes to remove themselves from their stoic state for just a moment. The holes left in his body heal up, as expected from someone with a cloudy form, but his concentration is parted from his lightning wall long enough for me swing my staff downward in the air and cause a gelatin-like liquid tendril to spew out from the jeweled tip and come crashing down on top of Mallow. The ensuing collision with the seat of the throne after passing through his body causes the entire thing to be flung apart in separate sections, each one splattering against a different part of the walls on both sides of the room.

Having closed his eyelids, Mallow creaks them open slightly, slanting his brows in mild annoyance even as his body is dripping wet. He doesn't say anything as he elevates his arm into the air and casts another spell with incredible vigor. The air swirls around in two locations on the ground, building up in size with each passing second until they take on the form of gigantic tornadoes whose tops grind away at the stones holding the ceiling together. The violent rotations pull away all the water and debris present in the room, winding their forms back and forth to keep me from ever approaching their master.

I now had to deal with the tornadoes, all the while Mallow's "Shadow" stared at me with his hollow yellow eyes and his smug grin. "You think this is enough to stop me? We dealt with much worse when we fought the Storm Emperor in this very room!" I bravely proclaimed to try and knock some sense into the Nimbusian Prince, especially since Luigi proved that it was possible to draw out the real selves of the possessed for a brief amount of time. But Mallow just continued to look at me and lifted his upper lip to smirk, saying, "How can you say 'We' when you were knocked unconscious almost the entire battle? All you did during our journey was fall to the floor and prove to us that you were useless when it came to anything."

The "Shadow's" comment struck a deep nerve, causing me to freeze in place as the violent winds whistle into my eardrums. "Excuse me?" I looked on and shook my head in awestruck disbelief. "Did you really just say that? Because last I checked, were it not for you, you and everyone else would've been dead at the bottom of the Terra Cave." My blunt rebuttal actually got through to Mallow, who widened his eyes in regret for what he just said for five seconds, only to return to the previous expression without a hint of remorse. "So what? One petty incident doesn't excuse the other instances of your uselessness."

"Ok, that comment crossed the line…" I thought to myself with my eyebrows arched in angered annoyance. "Petty incide-You know, I got something to say to you Shadow Mallow!" I holstered my staff for a moment and brandished my right pointer finger at the arrogant "Shadow", caring little about the danger the tornadoes presented to me. "I'm sick and tired of everyone bringing up how useless I supposedly was as if that was a strike against me as far as my character goes! So maybe I fell in fights too easily near the end, but I suffered my fair share of guilt over that already! One's strength in battle is not the only deciding factor in someone's usefulness, and if you are citing that as the only reason then I am VERY disappointed in you!"

As Mallow's Shadow scowled at me from behind the shroud of violent winds his appearance fizzled between that of his current appearance and that of the Mallow I was familiar with. "Lest you forget, it was my determination that saved you from death, it was my empathy that helped Driad endure the struggle with his identity, and it was my kindness that allowed you to trust me in the first place! And you know, pardon the badly timed pun here, but your argument about my strength holds no water now! You claim to have the confidence and strength needed to make the world yours? Well I have the confidence and strength necessary to not only stop your insane plans, but to free Plit from the grasp of the 'Midnight Channel' and Mr. Reality no matter what strange, unknown phenomena he chooses to send my way!"

At the end of my bravado driven speech the "Shadow's" image starts to fizzle out, and for a brief moment I hear a familiar voice take over and call out to me, saying, _"YEAH! YOU TELL HIM!" _It was the real Mallow, crawling out from the subconscious the "Midnight Channel" had buried him under to give me a rousing cheer until the "Shadow" took back control of Mallow's body with his left hand slammed against the front of his face as it grimaces in utter rage. "You insolent abnormality of an existence!" He yells out to his physical self, which is grating to hear considering the innocent tone he still has in his voice.

While the "true" self of the young prince was distracted with the breakthrough of his physical body, I took an opportunity to weight my options here. The tornadoes were still up despite the creator's focus being broken away from them, but I figured that I could use them to me advantage. The "Shadow" stayed on the throne because all I needed to do was strike the seat to release the energy and return everything in this area back to normal, so all I needed to do was get him off it long enough to plunge my trident straight at it. Mallow's body was pretty squishy, so a strong enough attack that overrode the tornadoes consistent rotation would probably cause the "Shadow" to get out of the way.

"Hey Mallow, I got a present for you!" I stopped thinking and called out to the "Shadow", who stopped focusing on the presence of his physical self and lowered his arm to look at me. I plucked my trident straight from my belt, letting it flip around in the air without my hand to grasp it as I leapt up and spun around, preparing to land with my left foot as my right one thrust itself right into the handle of my pointed weapon. The "Shadow" actually widened its eyes in fear as it launched itself straight at him like a bullet. It broke through the suction of the tornadoes for but a brief second before it is forcibly dragged in and brought to the top of the force of wind a short time later.

The "Shadow" of Mallow relaxed and returns to an arrogant smirk, but I merely matched his smirk with a confident one of my own and raised both of my arms beside my body. I dragged out all of the moisture that had been sucked into the tornadoes, commanding them to build up behind me until it created a massive wall of wall that barely fit into the tight dimensions of this room. "Let us see if your tornadoes can handle a tidal wave." Keeping my arms the way they were, I spread apart the water directly behind me to create a gap big enough for the water to pass around me as I willed it all to rush forward.

The condensed wave pressed against the rotating winds, the top attempting to crash through the gap between them to strike Mallow only for the water to be sucked in slowly without any effort. But my efforts still managed two things. One, it unhinged the "Shadow", who for a moment actually believed that he would be hit with the tidal waves. And two, by striking the tornadoes with the waves in the opposite direction that they are rotating, I succeeded in slowing down their movements. My water supply was still available to me, but I took less out this time, transferring some of it into my trident with just a thought.

I rushed the creation of another tidal wave so Mallow wouldn't be given enough time to react, and after sending it out on its way I repeated the process anew a couple more times. By that point though my next tidal wave was only half its original size, but that would be enough to stop the tornadoes this time around. However, I noticed the perceptive glare coming from the "Shadow", who in a panic raises his staff high above his head and says, "I will not be dethroned by the likes of you!" The jewel on his staff glows as bright as it possibly can at his furious command, filling the room with a pale crimson veil that actually forces me to shut my eyelids to avoid being blinded.

I open them only when I feeling a tremor in the room. Something was pressing down on top of me, a force of unknown origin that I could feel approaching from the ceiling. I looked up and saw as bit by bit the rocks were being torn away into the sky, and behind the holes made by their removal I witnessed a massive, five-point yellow star slowly approaching the temple, having passed through a rift in the dimensions to arrive here. Gravity was weighing down on me, but did nothing to affect Mallow's Shadow, who continues to sit on his throne and began laughing maniacally at my dilemma.

"A tidal wave may be able to stop a tornado, but nothing in your current arsenal can stop a falling star!" He wasn't arrogantly boasting this time either, he was telling the truth. But in all honesty, I didn't care at all about that. The pieces were already in place all around me, and all I needed to do was set them in motion. First off, I tossed the tidal wave out to get the remaining water into the tornado while at the same time distracting the "Shadow" by morphing my expression so it looked as though I was making a desperate move. He mocked me, saying "All you do from here on out is futile. I can survive my own attack, but you are destined to perish here!"

I didn't listen to him, keeping myself calm as the water was sucked into the tornadoes for the final time and the phenomena was slowed to the lowest speed it could reach before it would stop existing completely. The ceiling close to the two natural disasters was starting to break apart, and if the one with the trident in it vanished then the "Shadow's" claim would come to pass. I surrounded the trident with condensed water, Mallow's view of my weapon obscured thanks to all the debris wrapped up around it. I waited a couple seconds for the trident to point in the right direction as the pressure from the star caused me to start kneeling down.

I grit my teeth to keep myself together, bearing the gravitational force coming down upon me as I widened my eyes, smirked, and with my hands held out in front of my chest I declared "Checkmate!" with much vigor. Mallow could only mutter out a "Huh?" as he looked to the left tornado and saw a familiar serpent made of water bursting through the windy spiral and heading straight at him with vicious intent surrounding it. He actually looked ready to lose his composure as he leaped into the air, yelling out to me, "You thought you could surprise me with one last attack Overlord?!"

"Not really…" I said with calm confidence. "But I knew that I would be able to trick you off your throne." Before Mallow's Shadow could even realize what I had just done, the trident that had been hidden inside of the serpent breaks through the surrounding water and flies straight into the crack on the seat of the throne. Puncturing through it with great force, my weapon causes a blinding white light to erupt through in the form of multiple, different sized beams before it consumes the room entirely in its brightened glory. The last thing I hear from the "Shadow" is an aggressive, defeated "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" before everything goes completely silent.

I open my eyelids only a few moments later, when the feeling of the star's pressure has vanished entirely from existence. I am still kneeling, but now I am back in my normal form with my sword grasped in my right hand and the white trigger now restored. Thanks to the blade obscuring my frontal vision, I did not know what had happened to Mallow until I dispelled my weapon. When I stood up I found the young prince lying on the throne, exhausted and unconscious. This wasn't going to be like Luigi's situation, he needed to get to a safe place to rest and recover…

As I began worrying about my friend's condition, something strange began to occur around me. The temple's entire structure faded into a foggy-like condition for a brief second, repeating this distorted appearance a few more times and lasting longer with each occurrence. The Sky Temple was returning to its normal state of being, and since it wasn't noon that meant it would become ethereal. The widening of my eyes after that thought showed that I knew of the consequences that would happen if I didn't hurry up and leave with Mallow. But I was too late to act. By the time I took even a step forward the temple vanished all at once, the young Prince's body plummeting downwards at a rapid pace in front of my own much to my shock and horror.

"Mallow…Darn it, not again!" I tried to reach out, but my arm was not in range. I was panicking, not wanting to lose a friend to a fall after I worked so hard to rescue them from the effects of the 'Midnight Channel'. But amidst the tranquility of the light-blue skies and fluffy clouds I was able to calm myself and remember something very important that I had theorized earlier on. I closed my eyelids and concentrated on the air around me. I imagined the freedom the birds shared with each in the skies, and how I once longed to join them in their flight.

It was a simple, peaceful thought, but sure enough as I opened my eyelids I stopped feeling the friction of the air pressing against my descending body and found myself floating mid-air. My power of flight had been restored, but now was not the time to be happy over this return. Mallow was still in danger, and without any hesitation I looked down at his plummeting body and dived straight at it. At my speeds I was able to catch up to his light body quickly, but dove down a little more and swooped upwards so I could hold my arms out in front of me and catch him as I ascended back towards the restored Nimbus Land. My heart was beating rapidly, but I was just glad to have successfully rescued the sleeping prince from harm. "To think I'm almost halfway there…And things are just getting worse and worse now…" I thought to myself as I bent my head downward and looked at the peaceful, smiling face Mallow had on him…

_Next Time: A Meeting with Royalt_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Tranquility in the Sky**

I didn't waste anytime once I got onto Nimbus Land. The citizens had all been turned back to normal, and as they moved their heads around I added to their confusion by rushing right past them towards the palace. Two guards rose their spears at me, but I yelled to them, "I'm the Elemental Overlord, I'm here to return Prince Mallow to his home!" They widened their eyes as if they had seen a ghost, but got the point and lowered their defensive stance before I dashed past them. The retainers and workers inside the palace paid me little head as I ran through the corridors towards the main throne room where I suspected the King and Queen were.

Mallow stayed asleep in my arms, and I looked down briefly to confirm that my hurried movements weren't upsetting him in any way. I reached the far end of the palace in the span of a minute, exhausting my air supply the moment I use my shoulder to burst through the doors to the throne room. Immediately after entering I stop myself and begin panting heavily, not exactly putting on a good impression for the King and Queen, who stood atop a stairway staring down at me as if a maniac had broken in. But after a few moments they noticed Mallow in my arms and widened their eyes in fear and shock. "S-Son?!" The King blurts out in surprise.

I try and keep myself together, breathing in and out in hopes that my speech will be coherent. "Pardon…My intrusion…But I came…To bring your son back…Gracious rulers of…Nimbus Land…" I stopped myself before I ended up collapsing on top of Mallow on the floor, but I could tell just by looking that the King and Queen were obviously more concerned with their son's well being instead of the details behind my arrival and why he ended up like this. The King, with his puffy blue and purple striped outfit, royal crown and groomed brown mustache, rushed to the bottom of the staircase and took Mallow from my arms, running to a door at the left side of the room and pushing it aside with a kick from his foot.

I could hearing the wood slamming against the wall on the other side, and blinked my eyes tightly once in response. The King shut the door and went on his way, leaving the Queen, who was wearing an exquisite leaf-green and pink gown and a nun-like drape on the back of her head, alone in the room with my tired self. I fell to my knees, at the very least glad that I got Mallow back safe and sound. The Queen stared at me with curiosity, as if there was something about me that was familiar to him. During my previous trip to the planet, I never met Mallow's parents, so I don't know where the familiarity could possibly be coming from.

"I thank you for bringing our son back young stranger, but seeing as you barged in here unannounced I am going to have to ask that you stick around and answer a few questions before you depart." It was a kind-hearted request, and one I was planning to fulfill before it was ever even asked. For now though, I just stayed on my knees and took in steady breaths to calm my heartbeat and get the flow of oxygen in my body back to normal levels. Never mind the fact that my stomach was growling out of hunger, but I didn't have to worry about that as much considering it wasn't an immediate threat to my life.

So eventually the King returned to the throne room, happily telling his wife the good news about their son's well being. I cracked a smile at that point, my stamina returned to normal and allowing me to get back on my feet in a matter of seconds. After addressing the two figures or royalty with politeness, they turned to me. I began explaining the details nearly in full, the only things I neglected to mention being the Chronicler, as usual, and the things Mallow's "Shadow" had said to me. The second thing I'd bring up later in a subtle way so they wouldn't find out that it was their son who, deep down, held a bit of resentment towards them.

"So you are the Elemental Overlord? But that's odd, we attended your fun-" The Queen swiftly elbowed the King in the gut, causing him to cough in recoil before he looked to his wife in wonder as to why she did that, which is an expression I also share, but on a much lighter level. The Queen goes "Ahem", and the King gets the message and nervously continues his sentence with "Fuuuunnel cake party! Yes, that's right, we attended a funnel cake party with Mario and the others about a year ago to commemorate the day you became the Elemental Overlord, and I thought it was odd that you are here because Mario mentioned that you returned to Earth. That explains everything, yes…" Admittedly, his rushed dialogue garnered some suspicion from me, but I chose to ignore it for the time being.

"I can't believe we were turned into a noxious gas though…" The King says with his arms folded in front of his body. "I mean, that really stinks, hehe…" His forced attempt at a pun is met with a groan and a face palm from both me and the Queen. "Dear, now is really not the time…" She says with a tone of disappointment. "Well I was just trying to lighten the mood." The King replied, voicing his good intentions even if his wife doesn't fully agree with them. "Anyways." He coughs again and turns back to me to try and focus once more on the current subject. "Pray tell, are you certain that we are safe now, young Overlord?"

"You should be…" I gave an honest reply, but then ended up shedding doubt on it as I raising my right hand to my chin and began humming to myself in deep thought. "Actually, I guess that's not really true…" I spoke slowly, and after the King and Queen looked at each other the Queen said to me "What's wrong?" "Well the thing is, no one, not even myself, is safe from Mr. Reality's powers." "That…That appears to be the case, doesn't it?" The King says, actually being serious in his words as he hangs his head low and lets out a nervous, half-hearted sigh. "So how exactly can you stop him? Is there anything we can do to help?'

The Queen stays strong in the face of this grim scenario, kindly offering her services to me under the belief that there is something that they can do to stop a reality warper. "I wish there was." I say honestly with one arm raised beside me and my eyelids closed above my straight expression. "All I know right now is that he wants me to play his game, which means my immediate goal is to restore the other four temples and save everyone trapped under the 'Midnight Channel's' influence." "Well, I once again want to thank you for saving our son." The King says with the utmost gratitude, which I nervously return with a grin and a "Heh…Not a problem."

My nervousness came from the fact that I was being complimented by a figure of royalty, which is something the likes of which I never felt before. There was a feeling of satisfaction derived from my kind deed and the praise that came from it, and I if I must say, I really liked it. "We were going to ask you to join us in having a royal feast, but I suppose you are going to want to get back to the Mushroom Kingdom, correct?" The Queen's offer sounded rather good, and considering how hungry I was I really should've accepted it. But alas, I am a reasonable man, and I wasn't about to be persuaded by my stomach to think otherwise.

"Yeah, I really should, so I can update Luigi and Driad on the situation too. Besides, it just wouldn't feel right, eating a feast with you guys while your son lies in bed." I held my right arm adjacent with my stomach, saying to them with a tone of compassion, "I'll leave you guys be so you can keep an eye on Mallow in case something happens to him, and you can get him fed and comfort him after he wakes up. That's what parents do after all." My last sentence came from my understanding of the parent-child relationship due to how my own mom and dad treated me before they died, and I could tell that the King and Queen agreed with what I had said.

"That we shall do…" The King said in a thankful, regal tone. "Have a pleasant journey back then young Overlord, and perhaps we shall come down and visit once Mallow has gotten all better." The Queen then followed on her husband's comment, bidding me farewell as I turned around and started to walk towards the exit. However, there was one thing that was still bothering me, and that was what the "Shadow" had said in regards to Mallow's pent up resentment towards his father. I had to wonder in my head, "Why did King Nimbus want to make Mallow a King when he wasn't ready?" After all, I could tell from a glance that even if he is a bit goofy, the King wasn't someone who couldn't read what his own son was thinking.

"Is something the matter?" The King noted as I froze in place just inches away from the door. "Yeah…" I responded before turning around and walking a few steps closer to them to continue with, "As I carried Mallow back here, he mumbled something along the lines of, 'No dad…I don't want to be a king…' And along with a mention of some confidence issues he had brought up during our previous journey, I was kind of wanting to ask you something…Did you try and ask Mallow to be the new King in your stead?" I managed to slip in the confidence thing the "Shadow" brought up with a slight fib, and the King quickly replied with a somewhat hesitant sounding "Yes…"

"Did you know about your son's slight confidence problems?" I then inquired, and the King responded with a nod and a sigh this time around. "So why did you want to give him your position of power if he clearly wasn't ready to accept it?" There was silence from both the King and Queen, as the King folded his arms in front of his chest and reluctantly closed his eyelids. "I…I'm sorry, you don't need to tell me if the reasoning is personal." I apologized, especially since the King was taking a while to say anything. "No, its alright young Overlord, I think you deserve to know since you are concerned about it."

"You see, a year back, after your departure that is, Mallow got involved in a couple of incidents that nearly left him dead. I was worried that there would eventually come a time when he wouldn't come back to us alive, but I didn't want to tell him to stop being a hero…However, I wanted him to have a fulfilling life outside of his heroic deeds, so I wanted to make him a King early out of fear that he wouldn't live long enough to gain the confidence needed to take over the role on his own free will." The King voiced his reasons, and I listened attentively.

"So why don't you two try and help Mallow with his confidence?" The Queen interjected in place of her husband this time, raising her right hand to silence him before turning to me and saying in a gentle tone, "We want our son to become his own man, and though we can nurture him to the maturity, the fact remains that we lost many years of parental bonding thanks to the storm that carried him away from our lives. We still care for him because that's what parents do, but…Well…" "No, I understand what you are trying to get at." I said to stop the Queen, whose reasoning was starting to become a little incoherent, and quite frankly I was beginning to feel a bit guilty for opening wounds like this.

"Thank you…" The Queen said, understanding the motivation behind my interruption. However, I wasn't going to leave the room on a somber note, and said to the two parents "Look, your son is a great kid, I know that much just from our short time together. He will be able to conquer his few insecurities in time, he just needs the proper guidance from you, and perhaps an understanding of your previous actions my King." The King rubbed his chin in the face of my sentiment and said to me, "That would be for the best." He didn't say 'I suppose' at the end, so I could tell that he was serious with his agreement.

"Alright then, I don't have anymore questions to ask now. I hope you guys have a pleasant rest of the day." This time our farewells were for real, and I turned around and left through the doors without standing still or looking back. I made my way through the palace again, but this time the retainers and other workers weren't as surprised as my presence as they were before. "I guess the King got the word spread out that I wasn't an intruder while he put Mallow to bed…" I thought to myself as I looked back and forth and met their stares with a pleasant smile.

Once I made it out past the non-aggressive guards, I looked to the left and saw the Bus Driver was safe and sound next to his vehicle, albeit a like woozy. I walked over to him, mostly to offer my thanks for driving me partway here but also to see just why he is in such a condition. "Hey!" I called out to get his attention just seconds before I was got near him, and he turned around to look at me with his eyes looking a bit tired. "Whoa…You feeling ok there?" I asked out of concern. "Huh?" In a drowsy tone the driver blinked his eyelids a few times and tried to lift his head up to look at me. "Oh…Hey there…" He yawned after that, smacking his lips before continuing on with "I don't know why, but I'm feeling really tired after I blacked out once we entered that strange realm you talked about…"

Now that I remember, the toxic cloud that the Bus Driver became got trapped inside of the bus after the Chronicler rescued me from it. I don't know where the tiredness could've come from, but at least the Nimbusian was alive and well. It was best that he didn't know what he ended up turning into, not from me anyways. "Well, at least you got my bus and myself back here safe and sound, so thank you very much for that." The driver said to thank me, and after replying with "Not a problem" I offered to give him some cash for his services, but he rejected it, as most people have on this planet to heroes who have helped them out in the past.

"Hey though, do you want a ride back to the Mushroom Kingdom? Since my usual route is ruined by that realm, I can give you one free of charge." It was a kind offer, but one I had to politely deny. "Thank you, but…" I concentrated on myself with my eyelids open, and with a tiny leap I suspend myself in mid-air, holding my arms out beside me like wings before noting to the driver "I can fly." With a grin I waved farewell to the driver and flew out past the border of Nimbus Land's cloud, diving downward with my arms held gracefully behind me as I headed towards Mario's house.

It felt great to have the air flowing around my body once again, and I close my eyelids to just let the sound of the grazing winds guide me precariously through the sky. I missed this feeling so much, and I hoped from the deep recesses of my heart that I would never lose this again. Such feelings of freedom and tranquility were useful to experience when the times were tough, and it was nice to get some relaxation after the last couples of days. Really, I can't mention the struggles I've dealt with enough times, but doing so would really derail the narrative, so I'll just drop it here.

Seeing as I didn't want to end up steering myself off course or crashing into Mario's house, I quickly opened my eyelids and saw the ground only a few yards away from my body. I halted my dive and curved so I flew forward, gently lowering myself a few more feet until I was just inches above the roof of leaves built by the almost monstrous trees. I kept going until I say the tip of the house approaching from the distance, at which point I lifted my body up and pressed my feet against the air, creating a current that flows against my feet to help slow myself to a sudden stop above the pipe that leads back to Toad Town.

The first thing I notice below myself as I descend is Driad sitting in a pot on the porch, absorbing sunlight beaming down from the sky with a pleasant smile on his face. However, my stop caused a pocket of wind that had built up against my feet to burst, sending a brief but heavy torrent of wind his way that ruffles his petals and forces his eyelids open. He looks up at me, his smile becoming a straight line as he pulls one vine out of the enriched dirt and waves it up at me, saying, "Welcome back Mew!" with joy and enthusiasm. I landed on the steps leading to the house and watched as Driad pulled himself from the pot.

He leaped up and hugged me, this time without tearing up at my return. "By the way, Luigi told me everything." My reaction wasn't one of shock, especially since I knew that the man in green had planned to do that after I left earlier. "And don't worry, I won't mention anything about your past. I'm just happy to see you again after so long…" Driad's grip around my body tightens as he raises his head and grins, giggling like a young child that had been reunited with a parent after a long departure. Speaking of which…"Hey, Driad." I said to the Crayzee Dayzee after he let go of me and landed back on the porch.

"Where is Luigi at the moment?" I then inquired. Driad placed his right vine against his chin, tilting his head as if the information was not easy to remember. "Umm…I think I remember him saying something about going to check up on Peach since Mario wasn't around to do so…Don't know when he'll be back though." After shrugging his shoulders the Crayzee Dayzee folds his vines behind his back and looks up at me, happier than he ever has been before. "So, shall we go in and have some lunch while we wait for him? After all, I can hear your gut grumbling like a wild boar from right here."

"Huh? OH, that's right…I had completely forgotten about that." The joy of coming back home had taken over my sensation of hunger…Did I really just call this place my home? Heh, maybe that's because the people who live here have become a second family to me. "Sure thing little brother." My thoughts became intermingled with my speech, and Driad heard my little slip-up with a wide-eyed grin on his face. I promptly slapped my left hand in front of my mouth as my cheeks became flustered. "Ok, so lets go have that lunch now!" I quickly said to drop the subject before rushing past Driad and entering the house with him following slowly behind with a shit-eating grin continuing to be present on his face.

This expression carries on into our lunch, where I awkwardly try to eat a triple-layer ham on rye sandwich with him staring at me in anticipation for me to again acknowledge my comment. I kept away from the subject, even though it caused me to sweat profusely a few times. Not long after lunch had passed, Luigi came back into the house, carrying in his hands a couple bags of groceries that he was clearly struggling with. Driad slyly turned his head towards me and with a grin as wide as a Cheshire cat's he said to me, "Hey Mew, think you can brother to help Luigi with those?"

As I got up, I glared at Driad, who I began to think was taking things a little far. "You know Driad, you really are acting like a little brother now. Innocent one second, annoying and manipulative the next…" I smirked at the end of my sentence calmly, and as I went over to help Luigi I noticed from the corner of my eyes that the Crayzee Dayzee's face retracted to a more subdued expression and he went completely silent. As I took one bag from Luigi's arms, he asked why Driad and I were talking about brothers, and I decided to let it be known then and there that I considered him, Luigi and Mario to be my second family.

When the subject of just what role Luigi fulfilled came up as we placed the bags on the counter, I just said that he was like the nurturing mother, which surprisingly he didn't take offense to since he was used to being called feminine by now. While we unloaded the groceries with Driad's help, I mentioned that I thought of Mario as both a father and an older brother, Mallow as a cousin, E. Gadd as the wacky grandfather, and many other comparisons were made that I ended up losing track of. Either way, with the subject of Mallow arising, the man in green wanted to know how my trip to the Sky Temple went.

So we sat down comfortably in the living room and I went over all the details, except for the Chronicler, but that's pretty much become a pattern by now so I went mention it again. After re-assuring Driad and Luigi that Mallow should be alright, the man in green laid his body back against the couch and decided to bring up some news of his own. "Anyways, I went to speak with Peach to try and figure out where she last saw or heard from Mario, just in case he was near someplace that wasn't in the general vicinity of the Ignitor Cave…."

"Any luck?" I asked, and Luigi shook his head and said to me, "Sort of. Peach said that Mario was off fighting Bowser to rescue her, and that after blacking out she just suddenly woke up back in her castle. All that really does is confirm what we already determined, that Mario is the Inner Guardian of the Ignitor Cave." The man in green looked disturbed as he reluctantly said that, and I had to re-assure him by saying with empathy "Luigi, don't worry about it, I'll free Mario from the realm's influence." "That's not what I'm worried about." Luigi then quickly says.

I knew what he was talking about, and as he looked into my eyes I could tell that he knew that I knew as well. "Man, if only E. Gadd was around right now." Driad interjects. "I don't really see how his science could help us here." I pointed out, failing to see what my flowery friend was trying to get at. "It wouldn't help us. His research on the Origin Temple, on the other hand, might be able to…" The Origin Temple. As Luigi mentioned that, memories of the final leg of our journey came rushing into my mind. It was the final resting place of the Overlord's powers, all of them sealed in a glowing crystalline orb on the top floor.

The floor were guarded by a different warrior known as a Genesis Samurai, who my friends stayed behind one by one so I could reach the top and get the powers myself. I confronted Cackletta, the vile witch that Mario and Luigi had tangled with before and a being who had been a constant pest during our journey, and after a battle that felt longer than it actually was I managed to use the Elemental Stones to summon the Inner Guardians and beat them at the cost of the stones' existence.

After that I touched the orb and got my seven Elemental Forms along with a final form that combined all the powers together while adding in the symbolic theme of rebirth, which I quite obviously dubbed my "Phoenix Form". Anyways, the Genesis Samurais perished after their duty was fulfilled, and the Origin Temple came crumbling down with its purpose having been served. "So E. Gadd has been working at the ruins of the Origin Temple? Why do you think that anything there could assist us against Mr. Reality?"

"I don't think that there is an object there that could stop or work against his powers…" Luigi rubs the back of his head while thinking about the topic a bit more, and after sitting up he leans his body forward slightly and says "But considering how scarily accurate the original tablet was in pointing out where you lived, what age you were to be when you acquired his powers, and especially about what order we should tackle the temples…I'm just saying, if the original Overlord was able to predict all that, then maybe he predicted a limbless alien coming to our planet with the ability to warp the fabric of reality and came up with a countermeasure to beat him."

"That is a bit of a long short, but there is some precedence to your theory." I said in agreement with Luigi's explanation. "However, we can't really pursue it any further until we find E. Gadd. I'll keep it in mind though in case I run across him." Driad and Luigi nodded their heads to thank me for keeping that into consideration, and we dropped the topic not long afterwards. The rest of the day went by rather normally. We had a Spaghetti dinner, watched a movie on T.V., and went off to our separate beds not long afterwards.

I rested my arms between the back of my head and the arm of the chair and looked up towards the ceiling, prepared to drift into a deep slumber. However, before I could do that, I could hear the creaking of wood and turned my head to glance behind me. Driad ran out of the bedroom and approached me, and without any pause he bends his head forward and gives me a quick, surprising kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, big brother…" He said to me as he pulled his head back and went back to his bed to sleep with a smile brimming on his face. All I could think about as I blinked silently at the bedroom doorway was of how happy everyone was feeling. Even with all that Mr. Reality had done so far, all it was doing was bringing me closer together with the people I am glad to call my new family, and every day until this journey was done I would repeat this pleasant pattern of leaving and returning…And maybe, just maybe, I will stay here and keep this happiness together for the rest of my life…

_Next Time: The Skyward Messenger_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: The Remnant of the M.S.I.**

Morning came sooner than expected, the relaxing rest I had allowing me to wake up fully healed from yesterday's events with renewed vigor and a smile on my face. "Man, its nice to not be having those nightmares anymore…" I said in a cheery tone of voice as I yawned and stretched my arms away from the back of my head. There was a little soreness in the muscles, but that's what happens when you press the weight of your skull against them all night. That being said, at the very least the feeling in them returned to normal in a matter of seconds upon lifting the upper part of my body up off the couch.

"I seriously need to get this type of couch for myself…" I noted as I creaked my back forward and stretched my arms out to try and touch my toes. After failing to do so even after a bit of quiet grunting, I reeled my body back and swung my feet to the right, bending my legs at the kneecaps so they rested on the floor without knocking anything over. Luigi was cooking in the kitchen just like yesterday morning, a different smell poking into my nostrils and glazing my eyes over with its rich aroma. Though really, the cause for my reaction lies in my senses being a bit heightened due to the fact that I just woke up, however much sense that makes anyways…

"Hey Luigi! Good morning!" I called out to get his attention this time around, and he peeked his head past the doorway with a bit of soot on his face. Needless to say, that garnered a flinch or surprise from me, but before I could ask a question he provided the answer. "Morning to you too Mew…Sorry if I looked a bit frazzled, but I accidentally burnt the first pancake and…Well, I think my face speaks for itself here." There was really no point in asking just how Luigi-Wait, did he say pancakes? My eyes lit up in ecstasy, but I stopped myself from thinking in detail about my enjoyment of that particular food after the big deal I made out of the omelet yesterday.

I turned my head to the right and saw Driad waking up, rushing out of the room energetically and leaping at me, wrapping his arms around me before giving his vocal greeting for the morning in a chipper tone. "Hey Mew, how are you feeling this morning?!" It was both comforting and yet a little strange to see Driad acting like this, but at the same time it really humanized him as a being so I had no right to start questioning his behavior. "Hehe…I'm feeling good, how about you?" As I slowly moved my arms inward to hug him, the Crayzee Dayzee quickly pulls away and lands on the floor, and I retract my arms before he gets a chance to see my movements.

He grins with his lips sealed, folding his vines behind his back and looking straight at me as he waits for me to get off the couch so we could walk to the kitchen together. "I'm feeling wonderful!" Driad giggles like a child and seals his eyelids shut as I stand up and pat him on the head, moving my hand around to ruffle his petals before withdrawing it and seeing him open his eyelids and stare at me in flustered annoyance. "Come on Driad, lets go eat." I say to him, and he quickly calms down and follows me to the kitchen table.

By the time we sit down, Luigi had gotten everything sorted out with the frying pans, as it turns out he accidentally set the stove temperature to "8" instead of "4", and was only a few minutes away from completing the pancakes for us. He already has six even-sized flat cakes stacked on a plate to the left of him, and from a glance over my shoulder I could see some blue specks in the texture of the pancakes. "Oh? Making blueberry pancakes?" I asked, to which the man in green turned to me while picking a pan up and flipping the batter in it around delicately while shaking his head in response.

"Though you weren't far off. I'm making pancakes with crystal berries freshly picked from Flower Fields. They were more than happen to let me have a few a while back since I was related to Mario and all." "Wait, aren't crystal berries supposed to be really hard though?" Driad asked, interjecting since fruit would be a subject that he was familiar with. "They are if you eat them normally, but they soften up whenever you pour liquid on them. The buttermilk I used in the mixture did the job just fine." "Huh, didn't know that…" The Crayzee Dayzee replied as he leaned back against the chair and blinked a few times out of surprise.

"Not very many people on the planet do, seeing as such information was just recently discovered." The man in green then noted as he used his acute levels of strength to flip two pancakes, one pan handle grasped in each hand. "You learn something new everyday, eh Driad?" I said with my head turned towards the Crayzee Dayzee. "I guess so…" He replies, still taken back in regards to what he just learned about. After that conversation we asked Luigi if he slept well, and he responded with a "Yes". It was nice to know that even though the rest of our friends were still stuck out there, we weren't worried about the situation to the point that we were deprived of any sleep.

I guess it also showed how much faith Luigi and Driad had in me, that even though I didn't have a clue on how to defeat Mr. Reality at the moment, I wouldn't give up and would eventually find a solution to the problem. I just wish they could join me, but the risk level of them getting repossessed by their "Shadows" was far too high. I hated having to remind myself of that, but that just comes with the territory of being a hero. You worry about those close to you, even when they ensure you time and time again that everything is right, your mind and heart won't stop thinking negatively until absolute tranquility has been ensured.

Bah, I got to stop thinking about this too hard, especially since Luigi is drizzling the maple syrup on top of the three stacks of three pancakes that he is going to hand out to us pretty soon. It seemed as though he had nothing to go with the pancakes, which I guess is fine since he had made so many of them anyways and probably ran out of eggs. I picked up the knife and fork that had been laid out on the napkin beside me, holding them upright against the table's surface as the man in green set the plate down in front of me, then Driad, and finally in near the chair that he was going to sit on, as any courteous chef would do when he had guests in their house.

We ate our meals, and to give you an abridged version of what I tasted in those pancakes, the crystal berry reminded me of a gooey blend of a blue raspberry and a blackberry mixed in with the tartness of a lemon and the juiciness of an orange. Amazingly, that taste blended well together with the rest of the batter despite how I just described it. After it was done, Luigi thanked me for not being over-satisfied with his meal, and I politely thanked him and complimented his cuisine while bowing my head. Once again, we worked together to clean-up, which lead to the man in green asking me a question while his hands were dipped in the warm, sudsy sink water.

"So what are you going to do today? Since you got your power of flight back, getting to the rest of the temples really shouldn't take you that much time, so you are welcome to stay and relax a bit before heading out." Luigi gave me an option, and it really did sound nice from the way he put it, but alas I had to shake my head and say to him "I'll have plenty of time to relax once I get the Lightning Palace taken care of. The sooner the better, after all." "That's true, actually." It was nice to hear the man in green agree with me, though I don't know why I was expecting an objection from him.

"So what are you and Driad planning on doing today?" I then asked. "Probably just follow our regular routine, though I am thinking about going up to Nimbus Land to check on Mallow myself, so if I'm not back later tonight, you know why." I nodded my head, with that motion thanking Luigi for giving me the heads up. After that it didn't take very long for us to clean the dishes, at which point I made the decision to head off. The man in green wished me good luck, while Driad decided to follow me out the front door since he needed to take his morning stroll anyways.

The skies were clear outside as usual, and the rays of the sun were a bit dim thanks to the celestial body being concealed behind a nearby mountain range. What little light there was reflected brightly off of the dew drops, bringing a holy glimmer to the leaves whose fibers they were attached to. I could tell just by turning towards Driad that he enjoyed the sights, especially with his deep connection to nature. "I really missed this, big brother…" The Crayzee Dayzee then said to me with his face relaxed and a calm sigh being released from his body. "You know, getting up with you in the morning and enjoying the fresh outdoor air…"

"It does feel nice, doesn't it?" I responded with a calm sigh of my own. "Nice to know that your mornings are starting off so pleasantly…" A familiar voice interrupted our brief period of relaxation, and both Driad and I turned our heads around to follow where it was coming from. Looking atop the roof of the house we saw the Master standing there, his eyelids closed gently as his arms are folded into his robe. The first question that came to mind, besides my curiosity as to whether or not this is legal of him to do, was "How long have you been up there for?"

"About an hour…" He quickly replied. I suddenly felt a tug on the back of my shirt, and turned my head to notice Driad pulling at it with his right vine. He looks up at me with a somewhat depressed look on his face, which wasn't there until the Master showed up. I guess there was a history between the two of them, and things weren't exactly pleasant on Driad's side of things. With a quick somersault through the air, the Master lands on the ground in front of us as we turn around with our eyes following his movements. He pulls his arms out of his sleeves and turns his own body around to look at us both.

His eyes move towards Driad, and the Crayzee Dayzee pulls his arms away from my shirt and nervously takes a step back. I flung my thumb behind my shoulder to point at me friend, asking the Master "What happened between you two?" He calmly replied as only he could "He blames me for the death of his friend, which was the person I mentioned to you who could've been my apprentice." "I…I see…" Considering everything I knew thus far, I guess that explanation makes sense out of Driad's behavior. "Driad, you don't have to stick around if it makes you feel uncomfortable. He just came to talk to me anyways." I turned and said to my friend.

"No, that's alright…" He replied somewhat hesitantly, but since he wasn't budging I guess it didn't matter if I insisted that he leave. "So I'm guessing you are here to give me a lesson on the sky since I reclaimed that element and all?" I then redirected my attention towards the Master, inquiring to him what was on my mind before he nods his head to prove that I was right. "You know how the sky is clear now?" The wise old Toad said with his head lifted up towards the blue expanse above. I kept silent since I knew he was going to continue in a second. "The clearest skies hold the deepest of secrets. Close your eyes and listen carefully, and perhaps they will tell you a few things…"

I closed my eyelids after taking his advice into consideration, drowning out all other sounds around me save for those coming from the sky. I heard a whisper, which said to me "To the north…" and guided my ears along a path until I heard a new sound enter through them, one that reminded me of the rotary blades you'd hear on a helicopter. It seemed as though it was coming our way, getting louder with each approaching second as it also dragged the air around it in a cohesive spiral. I opened my eyelids up wide and said to my company, "Someone's coming, due north I believe…"

I pointed in that direction, and as the Master and Driad looked towards the sky that way we saw something coming into view. It was a jet black helicopter, just as I predicted, with a bubble-like glass window that showed that there was enough room for only one person inside, and the rotating blades looked a bit damaged but were still able to function as far as travel goes. It kept going until it was above the patch of grassland behind the fence to the left of us, at which point it landed on the ground and the rotary blades died down.

The three of us walked over to the aerial vehicle and watched as the left door creaked open and a figured emerged from behind it. It was a red Yoshi, a dinosaur-like creature who sported stout arms, a bulbous nose, and a red-shelled saddle on its back. This particular one though also wore a dark-blue vest of which part of it wraps across the top of the saddle and is buttoned all the way down. His left hand was just barely resting under his chin, and his left eyelid was sealed tight, a light scar having been cut through it diagonally. He looked exhausted, and as he stepped out of the helicopter he nearly tumbled onto the ground were it not for Driad running over and suspending him with his vine arms.

"Captain Florence! What happened to you?!" Driad addressed the Yoshi by his name and rank with a distressed tone of voice, and the insignia on the side of the helicopter helped me realize just who the dino was associated with. He was part of the M.S.I., the organization of which Gemini and Alpha were a part, or in Alpha's case was the leader of. I didn't recognize this particular member though, but obviously my flowery friend had become acquainted with him since I last time I was around. Florence lifted his head up, using his one good eye to look at Driad as he panted heavily and said to him "Driad…I'm glad…That you are…Around…Hah…Hah…"

It was difficult for him to breathe, and even though he is in a critical condition it didn't appear as though he was going to perish anytime soon. "Its…Terrible…Everyone…Commander Alpha, Lieutenant Gemini…They were all…." It was clear that coherence wasn't going to be Florence's strong point the way he was now, so I interjected and said to him "Calm down Florence, take a deep breath and tell us what happened." The only thing the Yoshi did though was look towards me with a confused, vacant glare. "And who…Are you…Supposed to be?" "I'm the Elemental Overlord, Mewmaster!"

Florence looks at me in utter, disbelieving silence. I guess he didn't believe that the legend of my existence was actually true, and the shock was a bit much for him to bear considering his condition. However, he closed his eyelid gently and took in a few steady breaths, following my advice to calm himself down so he could better explain himself. I noticed that the Master had been strangely silent during all this, and I had to wonder why he was still around since he had already given me the advice I needed for the sky element. Florence finally calmed down, and said to all of us "…I believe it all started two days ago…"

"_Alpha had called me and Gemini into the Command Sphere when he began noticing changes in the planet's environment, ranging from the different colored Elemental Temples to the monochrome landscapes everywhere else. He was beginning to worry about what was causing this phenomena, especially since he had noticed no one suspicious wandering around the planet. The corruption was starting to make its way to our base, but it suddenly stopped at an unspecified location. The only places left untouched besides our base and the wasteland around it were the icy mountain ranges."_

"_While we still had time, Alpha said that we needed to go out and investigate what was happening, when suddenly…'He' showed up. That limbless alien with the glass dome helmet and blue cloak made his presence known near the exit of the Command Sphere. He said that he needed Gemini and Alpha for the fourth and penultimate stages of a 'game' he was concocting, and when asked if he was responsible for the changes to the planet he responded nonchalantly with 'Yes'. We all attacked him with our strongest attacks and weapon, but he just mumbled something to only himself and the next thing we knew he was able to nullify all of our attacks with the raise of his right glove."_

"_Things only got worse from there for me…He whispered again, and the computer screens behind us began to fizzle out and become monochrome like most of the planet was. Alpha and Gemini stood in defiance again and prepared to fight the alien to the last of their strength, but he merely said that then they wouldn't be of any use to him, and with another breath the Commander and Lieutenant were forcibly frozen in place. They were allowed no struggle as the mysterious monochrome realm began to invade their bodies, but the alien said to me with in a coy tone 'You can try and flee if you wish. You will just suffer the same fate as the rest of your comrades…' I was scared, but truly wished to believe that he was wrong."_

"_I ran for my life out the doors, feeling that Alpha would've commanded me to do the same were he able to speak then and there. I rushed through the hallways, trying to make my way to the hangar so I could take a vehicle and escape the realm before it was too late. As I turned to take a faster route, I saw a horde of my fellow men and friends crawling and lumbering down towards me, their flesh decaying and their mouths craving for flesh. The monochrome effect was crawling across the walls and ceiling towards me, and I ran away from it down the hallway to take the long way, my heart pacing with each step I took."_

"_I never thought I'd have to outrun all of my comrades, but it was an experience I never wished to go through again. I eventually made it to the hangar, and was about to get into the vehicle you see behind me, when suddenly that monochrome effect entered the hangar and covered it completely. I began to feel my vision blurring, but I forced myself to stay myself out of sheer willpower…However, the alien would have none of that. He appeared behind me with Alpha and Gemini standing beside him. Something had changed though about them…Gemini was acting differently, talking about how 'No one understood where he wanted to be…' and there was a robed figure with a crooked red grin standing behind Alpha that I was certain I recognized…"_

"_Needless to say, the two of them were commanded to attack me, and I ended up having to fend both of them long enough for me to get a chance to hope in the helicopter and escape. Even as my sanity and consciousness started to slip, I managed to hold them both off simply because they weren't in their Star Spirits empowered forms, and even with the magic that Alpha was somehow now able to cast I threw them both against the wall and knocked them out temporarily. The alien, impressed with my fight, did note that my efforts were futile since he was just going to restore their health and sick them on me again if I didn't escape."_

"_So I ran into the vehicle, flung open the doors, and flew far away from the base until I suddenly blacked out. The next thing I knew, I woke up in a grassland not far away from Toad Town in the middle of the night, but waited until morning to fly my way over here…" _And that was the end of his horrific tale. "But what happened to your left eye?" I decided to ask. "It got scarred by Alpha's blade during the battle…But I gave the responsible for turning my comrades against me a little gift of my own…That being a needle shot through the helmet that scarred the right side of his face. Anyways, listen Elemental Overlord…I haven't known you for very long…But please, I bequeath of you…Save everyone of my comrades who have been lost to that paranormal realm…"

Florence then collapsed in Driad's arms, fully exhausted after giving me a request. The Crayzee Dayzee looked at me, and my concerned glare told him all that he needed to know. "…Go get them big brother." He then rushed past me after draping Florence's body over his shoulders. I watched him jump over the fence and head towards Mario's house right as Luigi exited through the doorway. I decided to let the two of them be and looked towards the sky once more. The Master addressed me, saying "The sky called the Captain to you to remind you of what is at stake here. The atrocities this alien has committed extend beyond the moral boundaries that any mortal should be allowed to crossed, and a desire to rest easy cannot be fulfilled until his presence is made scarce….You know what you must do now."

"Right…I have to-" As I turned to look at the Master, he had already vanished, leaving me surprised but with a new understanding of what needed to be done. I wasted no time in nodding my head in hopes that he sees it from afar, and dashed across the grassland, picking up momentum before I launched myself into the sky and began rocketing in the direction of Toad Town, which would then lead to me heading towards the Lightning Palace beyond the sea. To help Florence recover, I WAS going to bring Gemini to Mario's house safe and sound. Mr. Reality's shenanigans be damned, this was not a game to anyone but him and his sick, twisted mind. With gritted teeth and fists clenched in anger, I kept heading towards my destination…

_Next Time: The Truth behind the Fligh_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: A Torment Long Forgotten**

I rocketed through the air, my body diving downwards like a missile as I neared Toad Town, arching into a straightened position so I was only two feet above the water's surface. At the speeds I was moving the air I carried with my caused the waters to rise upward on both sides of my body. My mind was steel, steadfast and determined to get to the Lightning Palace after the story I just heard. But even with this absolute focus there was still one thing that was seeping through into my mind and threatening to make me think differently about my charge. It was about Mr. Reality's morality.

He was keeping the remaining parts of the planet under the control of the 'Midnight Channel' and dragging many people against their will into his game. However, he has managed to prevent any "Shadows" from showing up besides the true selves that my friends show at the end of the temples, so its clear that he isn't looking to commit murder. Then again, he is being pretty casual in his manipulations of the conscious mind, and then there was Florence's story about what he did to the M.S.I. soldiers…But he has been pretty lenient to me on a couple of occasions thus far even though someone of his level of might shouldn't really be acting that way.

Really, my inner thoughts cause me to lose the steam I once had, which I guess is fine considering I was getting pretty close to my destination anyways. Looking out upon the horizon, I see a monochrome expanse of water around a small island with a staircase leading up to a temple surrounded entirely by storm clouds. "Alright, time to change forms again…" I drew out my sword with my right arm held out, pulling the grey trigger and watching as my vision becomes obscured by a veil of fog that quickly surrounds my body. I still have enough vision to know when I have passed into the 'Midnight Channel', but by then the transformation had been completed.

I landed on the edge of the island, the back of my newfound sandals dipping into the slowly rising tide behind me as I took a few steps forward and began to take note of my appearance. I was now garbed in a white poncho with trails of dark-blue cloths hanging down from my shoulders. It reaches down to my ankles, and both my hair and eyes have become light-grey in color, something I remembered from the last time I checked. In my right hand is a black scythe that has many bumps on its rod, each one filled with varying amounts of air that I could either use against or empty so I can take the air from my opponents.

Of course, the second one would be more useful in the hands of someone with a more sadistic personality than me, though it is not like I wouldn't use it to drop my opponent's stamina a bit and give myself a brief period of time to think out a strategy. Since I had arrived at this location and the outer guardian was only a stair climb away, I looked around and waited for the Chronicler to appear once more and tell me more of his tale. I didn't sense anything, not even a faint glimmer of his presence like I did at Nimbus Land. "Maybe he is busy chronicling someone else's life right now…"

Then again, someone with omnipresence really shouldn't have trouble making an appearance, it would only take them a nanosecond to arrive. But as the seconds passed I just gave up on waiting and started to move towards the staircase with a shrug of the shoulders. Suddenly, a flash of light covers my view from all sides, collapsing into itself behind me as I turn around and see the robed figure hovering gently over the shoreline with his orb withdrawn into his sleeve. He appeared more ghoulish the way he was floating now, but what was truly curious was that his presence was a teensy bit stronger than it was in the short time since we last met.

"What took you so long?" I asked, and with a coy smile beyond the shroud the Chronicler said to me "I wasn't expecting you to be here this early…My omniscience hasn't been as strong since that alien ripped apart the balance between the seven elements on this planet…" With his humble apology that completely contradicted his expression, the being inched closer to me, a light flashing out from the confines of his left sleeve before he suddenly vanished and appears behind me again, this time standing on the third step of the staircase. I turned around and wondered what was up with him, especially since he looked a bit wobbly for a spirit.

"You alright there?" I once again asked, this time out of concern. The Chronicler looks at me and steadies his body, the only thing moving on him being his mouth and his robe. "Remember how I said that reality benders can't interfere with the affairs of the undead?" I remembered that detail quite well, since it was one of the first things I questioned when I met the Chronicler. I nodded my head, since he wouldn't have known of my remembrance unless I did so. "Well what I meant was that he can't harm me directly…However, he has finally found out about my existence and is hounding me with creatures that CAN harm me if I were to let them. That's why I'm a bit dizzy, cause one DID get the jump on me…"

That was a bit discerning, that Mr. Reality was beginning to attack the one being who has been able to exist in the 'Midnight Channel' unaffected and help me throughout this journey. "Is it safe for you to even be here then? I don't want to end up having to fight anything that can harm you. I wouldn't stand a chance!" I voiced my concerns calmly but with my eyebrows raised to show concern through them. The Chronicler merely smiled at my concern towards him, and surprisingly, his grin felt humane compared to his otherwise eerie demeanor. "Don't worry, I'm positive the alien won't bring harm to you while you are still a part of his game, so long as he doesn't find out about what I've done to help you out so far…"

"So what you are saying is, you won't be giving out anymore advice or saving me from dire straits?" I inquired, and the Chronicler nodded inside of his robe. "It is unfortunate, but I can only imagine that the reason I was detected in the first place was because of the traces of tachyons I left behind whenever I frozen time." Tachyons being particles that are capable of moving faster than the speed of light and are considered to be used theoretically for time travel but are commonly used in fiction. Seriously, go look it up, its an interesting subject. "That makes sense…Wait a second, so that orb of yours allows you to control time?"

With my question comes a brief moment of silence and a forehead slap from myself for my oblivious stupidity. I really should have put two and two together sooner on that one. Instead of mocking me for missing the obvious though, the Chronicler merely got a laugh from my self-made answer and raised his left sleeve to his chin to rub it with his fingertips. "Heheh…I shall admit, I was not actually expecting you to figure it out." My offense at the remark against my intelligence not withstanding, I removed my hand from my face and looked at the Chronicler once more. "Now then, I believe you have some things you wish to take care of, since you came here so quickly and all…However, it is also time for the next part of my tale."

The Chronicler raised his left hand and let only the pointer finger stay raised as he looked towards me and began to open his mouth. But he stopped, garnering a raised eyebrow from me as the skies slowly darkened and a warm wind ruffled my poncho and his robe. The roar of thunder interrupted this quiet scene, but when it subsided the Chronicler said to me "I was debating whether or not I should tell you this part of the tale, especially when your mood is so bright…However, nothing else will make sense to you if I skip this part…So I shall begin in full now…"

"_Having lost his parents to the unforgiving wrath of the cosmos, the child slipped into a state of utter shock. His mind failing to wrack the concept of death at that very moment, especially when it happened to the two people that cared for him so very much. He kneeled on the ground, wanting to scream but the fear and confusion deprived him of even that. It wasn't long though until someone reacted to the inferno that had been ignited on the Cliffside. It was the F.B.I., a technologically advanced faction that worked under the thrall of the government. They took the child away from the horrific scene, his eyes blank with no emotion, eventually falling unconscious from the strain of it all."_

"_He woke up two days later, thinking that everything was a nightmare that he would experience time and time again. He was brought to the central command room against his will, given no time to eat or wonder as to where he was. He was interrogated for information on the phenomena by the leader of the F.B.I., but he knew nothing, and demanded that he be allowed to see his parents. The sadistic man broke the news callously that they were dead, being told that Halley's Comet had fallen from the reaches of space suddenly and crashed into them. He was curious about just how it happened, but in the end forgot about it and never explored into the matter. He didn't care about two lost lives, all he saw was a child that was his entirely."_

"_After all, adoptions were not allowed, and with no registered relatives the Chief had gained every right to keep the child under his grasp. The nightmare was just beginning, but the child wished nothing more than to be free of it. He sought a savior, hoping that his parents weren't truly dead and would come to rescue him. Five days passed, and nothing happened…Nothing that helped the child be free from his fate, that is. No, with a week of starvation and a lack of rest under his belt, the child was pulled away from the steel plate the machines had the gall to call a bed and strapped to another one with a more honest title of "Experiment Table" given to it…"_

"_It was then that the Chief revealed something that was unknown to most mortals living on Earth. Many years back, an unknown cosmic phenomena merged the current Earth with another one, creating a fusion of histories between ours and that of a world from fiction. This very merging caused the second planet's inhabitants to start appearing all-around the surface, many of them anthromorphic in appearance. Seeing these invaders as a threat to their society, an army was mobilized to slaughter anyone who wasn't recorded in our databases. The bloodbath was massive, the largest one recorded in the Earth's new history."_

"_Eventually though the soldiers ran into some heavy resistance. Well-built, golden-haired warriors and a posse of other supernatural beings fought against the army, firing energy blasts from their hands and displaying speeds and flight capabilities that no one else had shown before. The army was completely overwhelmed, the Chief told the child, and the remaining soldiers retreated so they could analyze the battle data. The Chief mentioned that they found some interesting information on the beings that was now stored in the F.B.I.'s databanks."_

"_The golden-haired warriors were called Saiyans, legendary warriors who got stronger after every battle they managed to survive, and were capable of reaching even greater levels of strength with the golden-haired form called a 'Super Saiyan'. Intrigued by their abilities, the Chief said that he worked around the clock to come up with weapon that would incapacitate these beings so he could cultivate their DNA and use it to create a stronger type of human to use as an army. The plans were put in motion, and there was not a better time for them to do so than now…"_

"_When they went to strike them, the army found that the group had all gathered in front of a single building, using magic balls to call forth a massive dragon. They were about to ask it to revive all those who were killed, but the army struck quickly. The warriors stood no chance against their improved weaponry, which cut through even the toughest of skin and neutralized their latent abilities long enough for them to shut down their vital signatures. The dragon was sent away, its balls flying in all directions without a trace. The bodies were then dragged away, and in time the rest of the unknown humans and creatures were dealt with."_

"_Humanity would not forget this willingly though, so save for a few select people, the Chief sent out Nanomachines that infiltrated the minds of most of the populations and tore the memories right out of them. However, there was still a matter of the ethical code of testing on people. Children would be the best receiver of the DNA of the Saiyans, due to their potential as a youth, but to get them the Chief would have to play his cards right. So he manipulated the political system from afar, making it so adoption would be abolished. Once that was done, the Chief told the child that he had two perfect candidates in mind…"_

"_It was then that he revealed that comet or not, he had planned on sending his agents in to slaughter the child's parents and kidnap him since it would then have been in his rights to do so. The boy was the first of many test subjects, and the second one's entire family was being manipulated into a single area so they could be killed as well. After all, with the way he was planning things, it would look as though some random thugs with an agenda would've done the killing, and none of it would be traced back to him. He stared at the child, but as the kid laid frozen in absolute fear, he saw not a man in the Chief's eyes, but a demon hiding in the shell of a man. There was nothing he could do though, the abject horror on his face at that very moment confirmed his surrender to that fact."_

"_His parents were dead, they were never coming back, he wasn't going to make it out of the metal rings that bound him to hell's table. He was utterly defeated, and collapsed from the exhaustion brought on by fear, anger, and hatred. From those emotions though, he remembered what his parents taught him, using the kindness and the resolute happiness brought on from their memories to forge a mask, one that would bury away his negativity and allow him to live on under a false pretense of happiness until he could one day take it off and unleash it all on the man who has wronged him so."_

"_He was injected with the Saiyan DNA, his unconscious body feeling nothing, not even the changes going on within his molecular structure. He woke up to find that the binds had been removed, his body having been forced upright with the Chief standing beside him. He grinned menacingly, but the child ignored it and smiled innocently. The DNA began to take effect thanks to the scientific methods used by the machines above, and in a matter of seconds he rose off the table, now able to fly freely. It was revealed later on that the two powers that the child obtained from the infusion were 'Flight' and the 'Zenkai', the ability to get stronger after living through a grievous wound in battle."_

"_The Chief was understandably disappointed, since he wanted all the powers to be given to his test subjects. He deemed the child a failure, and noted that the other subject they had planned to use had escaped from custody of the agents that went to pick him up after his family died. However, he wanted to see if anything else would come from his little project, and in an act of kindness that was only beneficial to himself in the long run he allowed the child to return to his home. He would be monitored, but would be allowed to go to school, eat proper meals, and even be allowed to buy his own clothes. Everything that happened though forced the child to grow up earlier than expected."_

"_He had to mature to adapt to the circumstances, keeping himself happy, even if at times it strained himself to do so. He had to wait though, as things were now he wouldn't survive long enough to get the revenge he long desired. He wanted to see his parents still, but knew that life did not work that way. Things would not be as easy as fiction depicted it, and he eventually forgot most of what was said to him, especially about the mystical orbs that could've easily granted his wish. The years passed by like weeks, and in his blissful, falsely lived life he never expected the event that would happen to him one day…The day he was given a chance to escape, the day he met Mario…"_

The end of this story brought a confliction of feelings inside of my mind. I felt woozy, my vision started blurring up as my head throbbed without end. I put my left hand on my forehead and felt as though everything around me was spinning. I could've vomited at any time, and in a way I wish I would've just to force me to stop feeling this way. I didn't recall anything the Chronicler mentioned, which puts into question just who this story was about now. I thought it was my tale, but now that I heard this horrifying nightmare in full detail I just couldn't believe it….

And that's when it hit me. As all the pain subsided I had only my left hand shaking wildly in front of my face, struggling to maintain myself as I remembered what Luigi had said just two days ago about my amnesia. The Chronicler's tale was probably something I had forgotten, and my pain right now was caused by all these emotions welling up and trying to break free. I could only think about how foolish it was for me to hide away my rage at such a young age, I wondered about how it was even possible for me to still be alive when I was driven by such a false pretense of life. I would've been better off dead, I should've been killed by the comet, I want to die now, I can't do anything, its all my fault, if I wasn't born they would still be alive, I failed them, I failed myself, I failed existence, my failed existence…

I was having a crisis of identity, the negativity wrapping around my fragile mind like a cocoon and refusing to break open to give me pause. It was only by looking at my weapon that my eyes went out of their blank state and I was reminded of what I had. I had power, plenty of power, all the power I needed. That's what I waited for, the power I needed to exact vengeance on that sadistic bastard and right the wrongs he had done to the world. I grinned, my teeth pressing together as my eyes widened and I began to laugh slowly yet eerily. Lightning came crashing down from above, hitting the sand and with a flash of light my shadow was cast behind me.

From that laughter came a sudden silence. I gripped the rod of my scythe tightly, almost snapping it in two were it nor for my restraint. I slanted my eyebrows downward, glaring at the staircase where the Chronicler stared at me with a concerned look gazing at me from beyond his damned hood. He was concerned for me, and I didn't know why. I felt great, all this rage I felt, it was a great motivator. I felt like I could conquer anything, even that bastard alien who shared the honor of being one of the two bane's of my existence. Channeling this rage into my body, I began to walk towards the staircase.

The Chronicler tried to stop me, saying "You shouldn't go in your current condition." In a tone that expressed regret over revealing the truth to me. Why should he be sorry? I feel better than ever now, and its all thanks to him. Never before have I felt stronger, so enlightened to the truth that I had long since forgotten. The being said nothing more, and with a flash of lightning colliding with the bottom step on the staircase he vanished without a trace. The roar of thunder grew louder, the winds becoming more violent at my command. I reached the top of the staircase, the lightning increasing in frequency all-around as I saw my opponent standing before me.

Through the darkness cast by the black, cloudy sky I saw a giant-shelled Koopa with swirl-y glasses on his smug, bulky face, and the lumbering creature's yellow shell crackled to the brim with high-voltage across a set of metal rods protruding from each hexagon pattern. The wind blew my poncho to the right, and I matched the Koopa's expression by closing my eyelids to hide the giddiness I felt while I grinned menacingly at him with my scythe held out and the nearly pillars casting a shadow on top of my body. Lightning made my weapon more visible, the crescent blade gleaming ominously as the wind spun around it, weaving together four currents of air together until the blade's length was doubled. In the face of my opponent, I could only say one thing "Prepare to die…"

**The Doomed Bulk of Electricity: Kentri C. tyKoopa**

The two things that compose the symphony of a violent storm were here in combat. I wasted no time in lashing out at the giant Koopa, swinging my scythe out to send a thousand blades of crescent wind from the compressed form around the steel. The beast's conductors reacted on primal instinct, defending him with a shield of electricity coursing around his entire body. The wind scattered away, returning to the air and becoming invisible to the naked eye upon impact with the shield. But a flash of lightning controlled by nature itself struck down, creating a blinding flash that distracts the Koopa long enough for me to get close to him and puncture the blade of my scythe through a stitch in the shield.

I didn't care that the electricity was being absorbed into my blade, it would never be allowed a chance to spiral through the staff and paralyze me. I tugged as hard as I could, nicking the backside of the electric thread and ripping apart the shield's structure, the broken strands fizzling in the air until it disintegrates towards the source of its existence. All the while my weapon is gripped loosely and hanging over my left shoulder, pressing against the cloth of my poncho just a moment later as I command one of the bubbles to burst open, releasing a veil of fog that I force to condense around my opponent's body.

His vision is completely obscured, and I can only imagine the helplessness in the Koopa's mind as he commands the conductors on his shell to fire lightning bolts in all directions in hopes that one would strike me and free him from this cloud. He stumbles about, failing to escape as I keep commanding the fog to blind him while circling myself around the formless mass, watching him to suffer until I was ready to strike at him with my scythe. With his random barrage of bolts failing to even singe my poncho, the Koopa raises his hands past the fog and with a web of lightning forming around and extended past his palms, the clouds above stop roaring.

The ends of the web are all that remain as everything else fades out. The points convert into blue-ish orbs clearly designed to gravitate all other electricity towards it. The black clouds above swirl into a spiral that raises itself into the sky, from the eye of this phenomena a massive lightning bolt begins to emerge, splitting apart into eight separate streams that flow through the air like hunting serpents until they bite down on the orbs that are their prey. The bolts then crash onto the ground, tearing apart the rocky floor with the booming echoes of thunder ricocheting off the temple's metal walls.

But the beast was a panicking fool, unable to realize the one thing that allowed his lightning to exist. The clouds above him provided him with an endless supply of the element, and without their existence he was nothing but another life whose air I would reap with my scythe. I smugly grinned and converted my body to a foggy form, weaving around and moving through the lightning bolts as they extended outward diagonally to tear up the battlefield in hopes of capturing me in their jagged forms and incinerating my body with ease. The lightning was not drawn to the metal of my weapon while I was in this state, a fact that would make little difference anyways.

However, I had to become corporal again in order to control the clouds above me. I rocketed into the sky, staring down the funnel that was spewing lightning without end. I grinned the moment my body returned to normal, and with my scythe gripped firmly with both hands in the middle I charged straight past the lightning that would kill me if I even brushed it and went into the cloud, raising my weapon above my head and whirling it around wildly with enough force to begin sucking in the clouds around me like a tornado. I kept the rotation going rapidly, alternating the grip between both hands to hasten the work on both ends.

The clouds vanished bit by bit, dragged out of sight into my blade and stopping the lightning's persistent existence in a matter of seconds. I stop rising as I near the end of the funnel, slowing my spinning scythe until I swing it out in a crescent arc in front of me, hurtling all the of the mass I gathered from the clouds far away from the area in a compressed stream. Needless to say, my actions irritated the beast, who was forced back to the energy being produced from its back in order to combat me, but the fog kept him from doing anything but fire lightning bolts wildly around his bulky mass.

None of them hit me, instead just grazing my line of sight much to my unsurprised joy. I shook my head, and decided that now was the time to put the beast out of its misery. I began to descend, looking down at the fog that had been bundled around the Koopa's body and drawing my left hand out to disperse it with a thought. However, as the beast looked up at me and roared, ready to strike my vulnerable body, I took advantage of his open mouth to force dirt down his throat, carried along by a steady stream of wind until the Koopa breathed it all in and the results occurred instantly.

He began to choke, the dry specks grinding against the muscle walls of his esophagus and breathing tubes, forcing him to fall flat on his knees as he pulled his arms inward and wrapped them his neck, trying to cough the dirt out with all of his might. I didn't give him any quarter, as I landed on the ground and quickly stamped my right foot on top of his head to press him against the floor. I gripped my scythe with both hands and held it downward, putting the tip as close to the skin of the Koopa's neck as I possibly could. All it would take now was one slash and I would deprive him off all of his oxygen.

I was so much stronger now that discarded my morals and fought with brutality and rage. I took down the outer guardian in record time, and all other guardians would fall just as easily. I would carve a path of destruction through the temples, banish the influence of the 'Midnight Channel' with utter ease. I would make a reality bender fall to my blade, tearing his smug head clean of with one swipe of my blade. That will ensure peace, I will keep that peace, and it all started because I remembered what I thought I never should've. This is the true power of unbridled rage, this is a wondrous feeling that I never want to go away.

This is…What I…What I… _"Good night, big brother…" _I was stopped, my face frozen in an expression of wide-eyed disbelief, by the echoes of what Driad said to me last night. His innocent remark, which showed appreciation for the connection I had with him, was not the first thing I heard in my mind. _"You are welcome to stay and relax a bit before heading out…" _Luigi's concern over my own well-being was the next thing that echoed. _"But please, I bequeath of you…Save everyone of my comrades who have been lost to that paranormal realm…"_ Florence's request came next, but that was all I needed to hear.

What was I thinking…What was I becoming just now? I looked down at the helpless Koopa, my scythe still at his throat. This isn't how the others would've done it. Not Mario, not Luigi, not Driad…They would beat their enemy, sometimes kill them if there was no other option, but to cruelly torture them while brimming with sadistic glee? That's why people respect the Mario Bros., because they are kind, they can always be counted on to save the day, and by the end of the day their smiles are seen as inspiration to others. Now I looked at what I was about to do, drawing a parallel between us both if I would've taken this road.

Who would want to respect someone who had no morals? That's not the type of person the innocent citizens would want to look up to. I would be counted on to save the day, but I would just be easily seen as someone who would cause more problems than I would solve them. I'd be a loose cannon waiting to go off, and why would anyone want to risk that with me? And more than anything else, no one would ever be inspired by the merciless whims of a murderer, not on this planet, not ever.

That's what would've happened if I had gone through with using my scythe like that. There would be no turning back, and perhaps that's why the Chronicler begged me to calm down before continuing. But the way I was thinking before, that just simply wasn't me. Irrational rage unleashed upon an unrelated target, that's how a monster thinks…I was on the road to becoming what I perceived the Chief of the F.B.I. to be, an unrepentant demon. And hearing the echoes of their voices again, I was reminded of just what I would lose if I went down that road. Family, friends, a warm home to return to, a calming atmosphere that melts your troubles away…

I had every right to be angry at that bastard for doing what he did to my body, and for what he had planned to do to my parents had the comet not struck them down. But never in a millions years would I have the right to take my rage out on someone else. My problem didn't lie in the Chief's actions, not right now anyways. I had to stay focused on the immediate goal, and deal with Mr. Reality like I promised I would. I had an entire planet relying on me, and it wasn't because I was the Elemental Overlord that I was obligated to help them. Many people here have helped shape me into who I am today, and now it was time for me to return the favor.

It was decided. I wouldn't succumb to anger ever again, at least not without a reasonable instigator for it. I would keep my attitude the way it was before I heard the Chronicler's most recent tale, even if it would prove difficult to keep up such a façade I had to do it for the benefit of my friends and the people I wished to protect. And most importantly, I would keep reminding myself from now until this journey was over that my opponent is Mr. Reality, not the Chief of the F.B.I. When everything is all done with him, I'll head back to Earth and bring down the iron fist of justice upon the Chief, and with that loose end tied up I will bid farewell to the planet and stay here on Plit for the rest of my life.

With that insightful period of time having passed in a matter of seconds to me, I pulled my foot away from the Koopa's head without much thought and used my powers to force the grains of dirt out of his body through his coughing mouth. This act exhausted him, but it was better than death at the least. I moved my scythe away, holding it over my right shoulder as the roar of thunder died out. The atmosphere felt a bit brighter, which is rather interesting now that I think about it. The intensity of the lightning increased as I grew angrier over time, but the clouds and everything else subsided as I in turn cleared my mind of all negativity.

"I guess its like they say…Your mood can usually be connected back to the weather…" Needless to say, it did feel really awkward to talk casually about the connection between the weather and emotions when I'm standing in front of the bulky, unconscious body of the Koopa I just beat. "Oh…Right…" Still, looking down at his body reminded me that I'm going to be fighting another Koopa at the end of a Lightning Palace. I had no idea what was in store for me as far as his true self went, but I was going to beat him and bring him back to Florence safe and sound. "That's the first step in rescuing the M.S.I. from their fate, anyways…" Reminding myself of what else I'd have to do, I made my way around the guardian's body and entered through the temple doors.

_Next Time: The Real Form of the True Sel_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: The True Shadow**

I enter the first room, which is actually a long, sleek metallic hallway that is lit up by some florescent light bulbs behind the glass panels on the ceiling. There is a foggy yellow tint across the room radiating from the glow of the lights, and it reminds me of what the original 'Midnight Channel' looked like. The black pillars in the corners that look like the ones you'd find in a movie studio really helped the comparison I made in my mind, and the new props do nothing to contradict the technological theme of the temple. "You know, considering the Elemental Overlord probably made this place the way it is, I got to wonder why he didn't share his technological know-how with the people of the planet?"

My immediate answer was "Probably not in his jurisdiction to do so", but that was only a guess and not a definitive answer so I didn't decide to think about it anymore for the time being. "Now if I recall, the last time I was here a voice blared out because of…" I folded my arms and scrunched my facial features up for a moment, struggling to remember what tripped the alarm before I went out and caused it to go off again. "Argh…What was it again." In the rush of the moment I failed to pay enough attention to what was said. Ironically, Gemini was the one who figured out the truth at the time, and now I feel like an idiot for not thinking that such information would come in handy again someday.

"It had something to do with movement, but what was the sensor?" After scrounging up the only clue I could recall, I looked around the room. It was rather eerie, with the silence and the foggy expanse leading to the end of the hall, but so long as I was the only one around this slightly unhinged feeling in my gut won't move past the level it is at now. "Oh!" As I thought about the possibility of someone else's presence, I realized that there was only one other visible thing in this room besides the walls. I looked up towards the light bulbs, and pardon the pun, it sparked a memory deep down inside of my mind.

That's right, the lights detected motion down below. The solution to this was simple. With a snap of the fingers I spawned a thick, miniature cloud from thin air, and with a wave of the hand around the circumference the size of it increases as I add more mass to it. Once my job is done I wrap my scythe backwards in the grasp of my closed armpit and put both hands beside the cloud, grabbing it in the force between both palms and pushing my hands outward to create a light wind current that'll slowly guide the cloud to just right below the first light. It arrived there in ten seconds, and the light was cut off with ease. No alarm went off, so the sensor only detects organic material.

It would be a lengthy process to deal with each light like this, but its better than tripping whatever new trap Mr. Reality would probably have set up for me. I start moving forward, ready to make another cloud with my hands held outward in the same position, but then without warning the lights in the room turn a dark shade of red and the corridors become filled with the echoing screams of a blaring siren. My focus is broken on the cloud as I squinch my eyes and clench my hands into the shape of fists for a brief second before tilting my head towards the ceiling as a familiar voice yells out "YOU ARE INTRUDING ON REALITY'S DOMAIN. LEAVE NOW OR BE ELECTROCUTED!"

It was a shorter message than the previous one, and it didn't surprise me so much as annoy me for having to listen to the alien's voice once again. Either way, now wasn't the time to worry, and with a snap of the fingers I draw the cloud away into my body and lifted myself slightly into the air. I create a massive current of wind through the doorway behind me while it is still opened, and get a head start through the air at high-speeds until a giant steel door comes down and blocks off what I had summoned. Still, I got halfway through during this time, but as I quickly turned my head over my shoulder I noticed something was off about the new door.

There were twenty rounded points arranged in a honeycomb-like pattern, all of them surging together with electricity that was all pointed my way. Not like was that hard considering the circumstances, but nonetheless I needed to make it to the end quickly or I was done for. The end neared my body as I could hear the sparks increasing in intensity. "Crap crap crap!" I repeated the word in panic as I saw the fog dispersing on ahead and giving a visible view of the next room. There was no time to fully describe its cube-like form as the caps fire a stream of electricity each at double the speed I was moving at. I swung my body off to the side, pinning myself to the wall with my arms outstretched and my weapon hanging vertically as the streams pass by me only a few seconds later.

My heart is beating rapidly as my widened eyes are nearly glazed by my cold sweat, but I'm alive. As the electricity moves on ahead towards the door at the end of the room, I take a look at the bridge and move myself away from the wall, landing on the curved quarter of a platform below me and moving towards the other side, but then I looked on and watch as more sirens went off and a circular mirror panel came down from the doorway, a pole sticking out below that stuck to the floor and kept it in place. I knew what was coming, so it was no surprise when the mirror panel spun around and swatted the lightning streams mid-flight, scattering them all in different directions across the room as a normal steel panel with a glowing yellow "20" appeared on it.

Obviously the sudden shift to a new puzzle was to keep with the theme of being "lightning-fast", and so of course I didn't have too much time to think as one lightning stream ricocheted off the ceiling and headed my way. I dodged by somersaulting forward under it just in the nick of time. "Shoot, what do I do here…" I asked myself as I got on my feet and dashed forward, ducking and alternating my head left and right to see if there is any tips on what to do. The number could mean anything. It could mean the amount of minutes I'd have to dodge the lightning streams for, a counter for the amount I had to destroy, or some third thing I had no real way of discerning.

When the walls didn't provide an answer, I turned to the floor, but not before leaping off the side of the bridge and sustaining flight to get away from three bolts that would've struck me had I not done this. There were some rounded sockets all spread out across the ground, the black center leading to an unknown location but their purpose clear as day. I had to get the lightning streams into each one to deactivate the lock on the door. At least at that point it was easy to work out a solution in my head. Where as with the guardian I had to deprive him of the clouds he used to create lightning, now I would create clouds to trap the lightning and guide them to their proper locations.

I swung the weight of my body to the right as the hairs on the back of my neck pricked up, using the wind to press my poncho against my body so as to not get burned. I then flung my right arm out, quickly summoning a cloud in front of the lightning's path so it gets absorbed and turns the cloud grey and the crackling of thunder starts to echo within. I figured I'd fill as many clouds as I possibly could, and THEN launch the lightning out into the sockets. After all, don't want to get fried because I was distracted with something else.

I spin my body around, creating a ring of clouds around me through my extended arms that successfully absorbs five lightning bolts that happened to be nearby. Not wanting to be hit with the static exuding from the clouds, I rose away from the center and then flung my scythe into the air, removing the conductor from my body as I looked down and saw a lightning stream ricocheting towards me from the bottom left corner of the room. I could also feel two lightning streams approaching me from the left and right. I had no way of creating a cloud with my feet, so while I held my arms out to creating clouds to absorb the lightning streams beside me, I stuck my feet out so the slick wood sandals would reflect the lightning away.

I was looking at twelve lightning streams remaining now, and things were getting easier to manage even if this wouldn't stop the adrenaline that was continuing to pump through my body to keep me going. "Come on, where are the next ones…" I thought to myself as I shifted my eyes around and kept myself at the ready. I held my arms out diagonally and created two clouds, waiting with anticipation for the next lightning streams to enter my line of sight. It was odd that none were showing up, especially with the speeds that they were moving at, but then I noticed what was up.

I was so focused on the environment that everything seemed slower than it actually was, and I was able to perceive which way the bolts were going far before they even went there. "I guess I don't really need my powers to keep an eye on those…" I noted to myself before I grinned and flung two clouds out, proving my observation right as the way I set them allowed them to absorb the lightning streams with absolute ease. "Halfway there, come on then!" I widened my eyes and turned my body around as I felt the static of a lightning stream pricking my hairs once more. I clapped my hands together, summoning a cloud and a wind current that carries it along fast enough for the lightning stream to be captured.

"Nine…" I decided to start counting down to the final one, throwing my arms out beside me and catching my scythe in the grasp of my right hand as it finally falls. I spin it around, building up momentum as I gracefully swerve it away from the lightning streams and alternate the grasp to the left hand before flinging it out like a vertical discus towards the left wall. My plan is to draw it back to me, but for now I had to deal with four lightning streams that were coming my way, one of which passed beside the scythe on the way towards me. I held pounded the air with my palms in all four directions, quickly drawing forth clouds that absorb the lightning as I descend through the numbers one at a time.

Once again surrounded by the storm clouds, I flew even higher until I was but mere inches away from the ceiling. "Five left, where are they…" I turned my head around, scanning the area below in search of the remaining streams, and just my luck that they would all come at me simultaneously. They were like points of light reflecting off of mirrors, so when they came my way they would hit the ceiling and spread out in an arc. That gave me the best chance to deal with the rest all at once, so I flew back and bit and turned my body upside-down, lifting my head upward slightly and pressing my feet against the ceiling to launch off of it and dive downward towards the bridge.

Just as expected, the lightning bolts hit the ceiling and bounce back in five different directions. Before they spread out too far though I spin around and hold my arms out as wide as I can, my poncho flowing outward from my body as I create an arched row of clouds that I launch out, causing them to quickly absorb the remaining streams and suspend themselves in mid-air within an instant. I move my feet so I can land on the ground, and with twenty electricity charged clouds at the ready I begin to back up towards the rotating panel and wave my arms around to position the clouds above each and every socket.

The purpose of me being close to the panel was in case there was a time limit to get to it after solving the puzzle, in which case I wouldn't want to fail reaching this and have to do it all over again. "Steady, steady…" I say repeatedly as I keep my placements precise. Then comes the snap of the fingers, which causes twenty monstrous thunderclaps to ring through my eardrums as the lightning streams fly straight out through the bottom of the clouds and head towards the sockets with no difficulty. They poke through the holes simultaneously, and I hear a click from each socket as they are sealed up by a sliding cover.

Before I forget, I hold my right hand out, calling my scythe back from the wall that the blade got stuck in as the numbers go down one click at a time behind me. Once the handle is grasped in my hand, the panel flips my body around into the next room, which is actually a round, yellow elevator that'll carry me to the next floor. It activates on its own, rising upward as g-force makes my body feel as if it is being pressed down for a brief moment before the feeling returns to normal. At the pace it is going at it takes only a minute for the elevator to reach the top, and with my memories I am able to leap out of it the moment it starts to shake and then proceeds to collapse down the nearly infinite chasm.

"Man I miss the voice that called to us on the elevator…Whoever it was, they sounded cute." A brief moment spent in fantasy offered me some relief from the high-speed antics of the previous room, but I had to keep moving while the day was still young. "I also wish I had a watch right about now." Checking the time right now wasn't really the most important thing in the world for me, but it would be nice to know how long I had been out for. "Guess it would be pretty selfish of me to worry about my appetite at a time like this." I then said as I moved down the passageway and headed towards what should be the final obstacle in this temple before the inner guardian. I reach it in a matter of seconds, a bundled, spherical mass of electricity blocking the way through as it did before. This time however, there wasn't a lever that would shut the electricity down.

"What the heck? How does he expect me to solve this puzzle without a shut off button or lever?" I inquired to myself out loud, while at the same time working towards an alternate solution in my head. But after a few seconds I noticed the sphere getting smaller, the electricity being drawn away in separate streams from the other side. "Huh?" By the time the sphere had become miniscule, I moved my hand away from my chin and dashed towards the other side of the hall. Emerging outside onto a square made up entirely of black and white metal tiles, I notice that instead of the usual sky I see that the yellow, ghoulish fog has covered the area.

The atmosphere wasn't important though, what is is the source behind the electric sphere's disappearance, so I lifted my head up slowly and…Immediately widened my eyes in utter shock. It was Gemini, the yellow-shelled Koopa with a mechanical right arm, an undamaged scarf wrapped around his left arm, a scarred, left purple eye and a normal yellow eye. He was panting heavily, but his held-out right arm was crackling with the bits of electricity he had absorbed from the sphere. This was the real deal, not the "Shadow" that I was expecting to see. Which begged the question, "Gemini? H-How did you…"

"Be…Careful…That alien…Merely separated me…from…" Falling onto his knees before he could finish his sentence, Gemini slows his breathing down and then lays his body flat against the ground. I run over to him and kneel down, lifting his left arm up and laying my fingers below the palm to check for his pulse. There is still a steady beat coming from it, so he is alive, but the fact that he collapsed in such a way nearly caused me to panic. He was about to say something though, and it was easy to see what it was. I cautiously lifted my body up, and left my ally behind to go on ahead and see who lurked beyond the fog.

It was no surprise as to who it was. Standing with a dark, ghoulish violet-blue aura around their body was Gemini's "Shadow", who glared at me blankly with his yellow eyes while his body remained motionless. "What the hell is going on where?" I cautiously murmured as I wondered why now of all times that the "Shadow" was separated from the physical body. As if to answer my curiosity, a holographic screen appeared in the air behind Gemini's "Shadow", and Mr. Reality made his presence known on it. "About time you arrived." Was the first thing he said, his tone dripping with boredom. "What did you do to Gemini?!"

The alien waved his hand up beside his helmet, saying to me "I did nothing to him. He was the one who so deeply strained himself by denying his true self." "But it was your actions that caused his physical body to separate from the 'Shadow', was it not?!" I lashed against the point he tried to make. "Of course, I had no choice in the matter. I had originally thought that if you denied the true selves of your allies, that their 'Shadows' would go berserk and you'd have a more difficult time defeating them. But I gravely miscalculated, and preemptively separated the 'Shadow' from the physical body before you arrived, and watched as he denied who he truly was. However, I froze the 'Shadow' before it could go berserk, saving him until the moment you arrived here…Now then, I think its time the spectacle began, yes?"

Mr. Reality pressed the fingers of his glove together, and in an instant he snapped them. The 'Shadow' began to move again, reeling its head back suddenly as its eyes widen in frenzy and his mouth opens up as he begins to laugh maniacally in Gemini's tone of voice. "Hahaha! You foolish Koopa, I am you, and there is no way for you to deny me!" It didn't care that I was not the target of its malicious truth, and the aura surrounding the 'Shadow's' body added in a thick black layer with reddish dots rising out of the ground around him. Suddenly, the creature's post returned to normal as darkness draws in from all sides of his body, covering him completely until a sudden burst causes it all to disperse and knocks me right onto my butt.

All that remains afterwards is a new creature, one that represents a symbolic manifestation of Gemini's inner turmoil with his true self. There is no feet on this creature, for it has taken the form of a totem pole compromised of three segments. The bottom segment is a golden Romanesque pillar with a statue of Gemini himself struggling to keep the other two parts up with the strength of his hands and shell alone. The mid-section is made entirely out of a shiny onyx, and it depicts a demonic creature leaning through a portal with its arms held out, its eyes glistening red with bloodlust, and two gargoyle-like wings spread out from the elbows. The final segment depicts Gemini as a human with six angelic wings spread out behind his body, his lower body drowned in the waving darkness of the demon as his arms cross in front of his chest. His head is held high with silky, golden hair flowing behind him while his eyelids remain closed and his expression appears indecisive. In the palm of his held flat hands there exists two domes, one containing a miniature scale model of what I assume to be the M.S.I. HQ, and another one that has a model of what is clearly Koopa Village.

"Gemini…" Left with nothing but awe at the Shadow's overwhelming appearance, I lifted my body up off the ground and swung my scythe so the blade was pointed behind my back. "What are you trying to tell me…What are you hiding?" Those were both questions I had to ask myself, but none of them mattered when the situation was obvious. "No, I need to focus. Here I come Shadow, I hope you are ready for me!" I charged at the creature, and I could suddenly feel everything pausing around me as my vision showed everything warping inward, getting brighter with each passing second. Suddenly, everything becomes clear again, only I can hear something playing in the background.

**I'll Face Myself -Reincarnation-: **** watch?v=N0KGRjTIa7I**

**The Conflicted Decider of Life and Death: Shadow Gemini**

The battlefield had changed slightly. The temple was now bigger in scale, with hundreds of those barred pillars surrounding the area, each one streaming lightning to each other in rapid succession as a generator roars behind Shadow Gemini. I looked at the creature as I stayed stuck in my battle pose at a specific point in front of it. "I am a Shadow…The true self…" The Shadow said in a calm tone of voice that came from the angelic segment of its form. "Why do you oppose me? I thought that you of all people would've helped me decide where I should be…" It said to me, and as I grit my teeth at the creature I tried to reach out to it and say "Gemini! Wake up, this isn't what you are really like!"

It was to no avail though, as the Shadow calmly rejected my viewpoint and said in return "Who are you to judge who I truly am? You don't even know who you are, Overlord! But that's fine…" The beast flapped its angelic wings, thrusting wind all-around as the demonic segment raises its arms up and snarls madly at my presence. "I'll just dispose of you if you won't prove useful to my conundrum!" The Shadow was as serious as it could be, clearly angered by what I had said to it. I just looked at Gemini's Shadow in pity, saying to it before the battle began "You would dispose of me just because I can't help you? I don't even know how I can help because you are simply expecting me to know what is wrong with you right off the bat! You know, never mind, there is no getting through to you, but I'll have you know that I'm not about to be killed by a beastly Shadow who dared to take up the name of my friend!" With that final remark and a pointer finger brandished at the creature, I took up my weapon and begun the battle.

Shadow Gemini HP: 3000

Mewmaster's HP/SP: 500/240

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form

I rushed at the Shadow, swing my scythe outright in an arch to cut the Gemini segment with my blade. (DMG: 67, HP: 2933)

Shadow Gemini casts "Zionga". A lightning bolt rips open the skies and crashed down upon me. (DMG: 45 *Critical* *One-Time Nullification Activated, Down Status Averted*, HP: 455)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Cyclone Rush" (SP Cost: 27, SP: 213)

Elemental Form

I charge up wind in my scythe, folding it as far back behind my body as I possibly can before flinging it outward like a boomerang. The weapon unleashed the wind built up as it curve around the Shadow's body, spinning around in a spiral until a torrent of wind is created and the weapon begins repeatedly cutting at the creature's skin. When it is done, it flips above the head and returns into the grasp of my right hand. The creature then flinches, its arms lowering as the wings fold into the body. (DMG: 286 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 2647)

I note the momentary weakness in my opponent and decide to take advantage of it to launch another attack. With my spirit flaring up within, I grin happily and swing my left arm below my chin as I hold my weapon steadily beside me. After making this pose I charge straight at the Shadow, which quickly gets engulfed in a cloud of dust as I tear into it with a barrage of attacks from my scythe. Eventually, the Shadow regains its stamina and swats me away, but not before the damage has been done. (All-Out Attack DMG: 145, HP: 2502)

Shadow Gemini casts "Heaven's Blade". After a glimmer from the angelic segment's right eye, a rift opens up in the sky above me, and from it descends a blade so magnificent and holy that I am barely able to look into it as it crashes down upon me and explodes in a burst of angelic light. I flinch from the damage taken. (DMG: 124, HP: 331)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "X-Dance" (SP Cost: 35, SP: 178)

Elemental Form

I stamped my scythe into the ground and crossed my arms in front of me while snapping my fingers. Two streams of wind cross under the Shadow's body, leaving him in the center of an "X". Next I pick my weapon up and raise it above my body, getting on one foot and using the wind to twirl myself around rapidly until I gather up enough energy to send the wind out in the form of multiple tornadoes, each one magnetizing to the streams of wind I had set up previously and colliding straight into the Shadow's body. Each hit does a different amount of damage, hitting six times in total. (DMG: 45+47+46+45+43+41= 267 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 2235)

Once again, while the creature is weakened, I launch another assault on it. (All-Out Attack DMG: 145, HP: 2090)

When the Shadow gets back up again, this time it calls out to me, "How could you…How could you do this to me?! I-I just want to know where I belong!" In an overly concerned tone of voice. It then cast "Ziodyne" on me. The lightning bolt that comes out this time rips through the sky as if it were paper, shrouding the air with an eardrum tearing noise before it strikes me full force. Weakened by the attack, I fall on my butt once more, feeling dazed as a light yellow veil surrounds my body. (DMG: 210, HP: 121)

With an opportunity to attack me given, Shadow Gemini instead raises all of its arms high into the air, a red circle appearing below its body that flashes a quick veil around it. ("Heat Riser" Buffed: Attack, Defense, Agility. Effective: Three Turns)

With my next turn having now come, I weakly raise myself onto my feet and lumber about as I can feel my body trying its hardest to stay together. "Darn it…Not yet!" I say to keep myself going.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form

Sensing that the Shadow was about to launch a super powered attack to finish me off, I raise my scythe and keep my stance firm in hopes that I can survive it with my guard up.

Shadow Gemini casts "Voltage Arts: Nine Sparks Pinwheel". This familiar attack begins with a lightning bolt coming straight out of the bottom segment's forehead and piercing through my guard in the chest area. This wasn't a guard piercer, but merely the start of the attack. I am then surrounded in eight directions by miniature lightning balls, which contort into the form of spears that point themselves my way and thrust themselves into my body all at once. The impact of all eight lightning bolts creates a massive electric explosion that makes a loud sounding crackling noise, which is promptly followed up by a piercing ringing noise as the explosion shrinks down to the size of a sand grain, and then becomes a simple electric line that vanishes into nothing but dust particles. I take a lot of damage from the attack, but just have enough health to survive. (DMG: 114, HP: 7 *Peril State*)

Thankfully, I knew of one way to survive, especially since I didn't have any items on me to heal with…

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form - Jungle Whipper

With a pull of the green trigger, I change into my Nature form, which I really don't want to describe to you all over again. My HP is restored back to full, but my SP remains the same as it did after I launched my last "Skill".

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Seed Gunner" (SP Cost: 12, SP: 166)

Elemental Form

I can attacked immediately after changing, and I cock my whip in front of my face like a gun. Each segment pulls out and launched a seed through the air at Shadow Gemini. Each one impacts with his body and detonates, dealing a hefty amount of damage per shot and making him lower his body in weakness. (DMG: 58+57+60+61+57= 296 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 1794)

I perform another assault after that for more damage. (All-Out Attack DMG: 187, HP: 1607)

Shadow Gemini gets back up and casts "Makajam". For the time being, I am silenced and can't use any of my skills. (Two Turns Left on "Heat Riser" buff)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form

I rush at Shadow Gemini and whip him three times, finishing with an uppercut with my weapon that strikes at a vulnerable part of his body. (DMG: 157 *Damage Critical*, HP: 1450) This causes him to fall down and be vulnerable to another assault from me. (All-Out Attack DMG: 187, HP: 1263)

When the Shadow gets back up, its wings start flapping at a slower pace as it creaks its eyelids open slightly and says to me "You are testing my patience Overlord! What will it take for you to get me?!" It then casts "Elec Break", removing my form's resistance to electricity for three turns. (One Turn Left on "Heat Riser" buff)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form

I attack with my whip again. (DMG: 74, HP: 1189)

Shadow Gemini casts "Thunder Reign". From the sky above me emerges a dome of electricity, which pours hundreds upon hundreds of volts into my body continuously for ten seconds before it all collides together in the centerpoint between my body and the dome, collapsing into an electrical orb that explodes and strikes me full force. (DMG: 286, HP: 212) ("Heat Riser" Buff Gone)

Blame the squishiness of my form for that amount of damage, but it didn't change the fact that without skills and items I was a sitting duck. I guess I had no choice really…

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form - "Wind Reaper"

A change back to the previous form didn't heal me, but it did remove the status ailment from my body. Now I could attack again, but I only had a couple chances before I'd have to change to my only other form.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Cyclone Rush" (SP Cost: 27, SP: 139)

Elemental Form

I charge up wind in my scythe, folding it as far back behind my body as I possibly can before flinging it outward like a boomerang. The weapon unleashed the wind built up as it curve around the Shadow's body, spinning around in a spiral until a torrent of wind is created and the weapon begins repeatedly cutting at the creature's skin. When it is done, it flips above the head and returns into the grasp of my right hand. The creature falls once more. (DMG: 307 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 882)

I then follow up with another assault. (DMG: 145, HP: 737)

When Shadow Gemini gets up, most of its body is leaning forward, barely able to keep itself balanced as the angelic segment's eyes open, completely black with fury as it glares into the depths of my soul and says "I…I…I've had enough! I've decided on one thing…I'VE DECIDED ON YOUR OBLITERATION!"

Shadow Gemini casts "Heaven's Blade", which hits me really, really hard. (DMG: 210, HP: 2 *Peril State*).

"Haha…Haha…" I wasn't going down yet.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Eye of the Storm" (SP Cost: 50, SP: 89)

Elemental Form

With a clap of the hands, a violent array of clouds forms overhead as equally violent turbulent winds blow through the air straight at Shadow Gemini. A hurricane is formed on the battlefield, and in an instant my visage disappears from my opponent's point of view. I had risen up, positioning myself over the "eye" that was centered above my opponent. Plunging through it at great speeds, I took my scythe and performed a clean, vertical strike right through Shadow Gemini's body. The wind and clouds are sucked in to the body all at once via a powerful vacuum creating by my slash, and once it burst inside of the Shadow's body I leap back to my original position. (DMG: 374 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 363)

Though it is down, I don't attack him again, since then he would finish me off with no trouble at all.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form - "Water Sage"

With the switch to my water form, my HP is healed, but I've now gained a weakness to electricity. I had to end this quickly now.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Banish Serpent" (SP Cost: 35, SP: 54)

Elemental Form

I kneeled down and lash my trident against the ground, creating a puddle that I use as a focus point as I pull my body up and draw a long, squiggling serpent of water from within. When I pull the trident away in full force, the beast flies high into the sky, cutting itself off from the puddle with a tail before it arches its body towards the weakened Shadow Gemini and dive bombs it with the velocity of a bat descending after its prey. It strikes the creature, exploding in a burst of water that all splatters against the ground. (DMG: 101, HP: 262)

Shadow Gemini gets back up and casts "Thunder Reign" on me. (DMG: 214 *Critical* *One-Time Nullification Activated, Down Status Averted*, HP: 286)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Banish Serpent" (SP Cost: 35, SP: 19)

Elemental Form

My previous attack is used again. (DMG: 114, HP: 148).

Shadow Gemini uses "Makajam" to silence me, obviously so I can't use another skill to finish him off and assuring his victory next turn. I can't keep guarding, so I could only hope to get a critical with my final attack.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form

I pulled my trident behind me, focusing as hard as I can on my target. I looked over his weakened body, looking at his bottom segment in particular and noticing the weakness down there. I could feel it. This last attack would do it. I charged in, slashing once while spinning my body around, lashing a wave of water against the bottom segment before holding my weapon out with levitation and spinning it around wildly so it grinds against the center of Shadow Gemini's bottom section. After the damage is done I reel my arm back and backflip away. (DMG: 178 *Damage Critical, HP: 0)

Shadow Gemini's body rises up suddenly in pain, screaming out at the top of his lungs as the demon in the center screeches. After a few seconds of pain the wings wilt and dry out, and the entire creature collapses on the ground below, defeated.

**Result:**

**Exp: 1008**

**Money: 300 coins**

**Item: None**

Suddenly, the environment around me turns back to normal, and Shadow Gemini is back into his normal form, only he is now laying flat against the ground with his aura dissolved. He doesn't move, mimicking his physical body's current position before it begins to disintegrate. I don't know why this is happening, but it was a good thing that it did considering that Gemini wasn't awake to accept his true self. The black dust from the Shadow returns to Gemini's body, and after turning my head to watch it vanish I hear a magical flash and looked back where the Shadow once was to find a generator standing there.

This was the thing I had to use to restore my powers along with the area, so I walked over to it. I just realized then and there that I had returned to my "Wind Reaper" form after the battle, but not like that detail matters too much without anymore enemies to fight. I walked up to the generator and jammed my scythe into a crack in the front of it. With a flash of yellow light the usual stuff happens, and I'm left back in my normal form with my yellow trigger returned back to normal and the skies having become clear once more. The generator has also vanished, but it had served its purpose anyways.

I dispel my sword and turn around, running straight at Gemini and kneeling down as I stop beside him. I turn my body and lower my arms underneath him like I did with Driad, picking him up with little effort as he shows no signs of movement. He is still alive, but must be sleeping to recover his strength. Not that I blame him, I'd fall asleep myself right now if it wasn't for the place I was at currently. This would be most inconvenient, so without uttering a word I turned towards the edge of the temple roof and ran towards it, leaping off the edge and after sustaining levitation I flew through the air back towards Toad Town, so I could get Gemini to Mario's house safe and sound…

_Next Time: An Identity Conundru_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: A Short Rest of the Day**

I flew through the clear skies as fast as I could without dropping Gemini from my arms. I stayed high up, so on the off chance I did fail to keep him in my grasp I'd have enough time to rescue him before he plunged into the watery depths below. I made my way past Toad Town, relying on my memory to get back to the Mario Bros. house in record time. The helicopter was still there, which was no surprise considering what I knew as of now. I lowered my feet and landed on the ground in front of the porch steps, carefully making certain that I wouldn't cause a large gust to be kicked up by my sudden halting this time.

After I got a grip of my surroundings I looked around, finding it odd how quiet it was all things considered. Driad's lack of presence in his pot was the first thing I noticed, and Luigi not immediately coming out of the door to greet me was the next thing I realized. While it was nearing lunchtime, Luigi couldn't possibly have been cooking now, could he? A check was in order here, so I walked up to the doorway and with a nudge of my right shoulder it creaked open. The kitchen didn't have anybody in it, and there wasn't any food laid out either. "I guess Luigi probably went to Nimbus Land like he said he would…" I said, recalling what the man in green had noted before he left.

Gemini was still quiet in my arms, but a quick look at his face revealed a smile that showed that he was in a peaceful slumber. "I'll just lay him down on Mario or Luigi's bed for now then…" I walked through the house, and upon entering the living room I heard a voice call to me in surprise "Oh! Welcome home big bro!" I turned to the right and who else would be sitting in a chair waiting for me but Driad, his eyes brimming with happiness before he noticed Gemini lying in my arms, at which point he widened them in surprise and got out of his seat, running around the table to get closer to me as I turned my body towards him.

He stands on his tip-toes to look at Gemini's face, noting his relaxed expression before asking "Is he ok?" I nod my head, and with a relieved sigh Driad swipes his right vine against his forehead and lowers himself into a normal position. "That's good, Florence will be happy to hear that." He says. That brought a quick question to my mind that I asked my floral friend "Where is Florence actually?" Driad pointed towards the bedroom, turning his head there with his eyelids lifted slightly. "I laid him down on Luigi's bed with his permission. After the two of us tended to his wounds, he thanked us and fell asleep. I imagine he'll be napping for a few more hours, just to wake up in time for dinner."

"What a convenient time to have a conversation about what type of person he is…" I murmured to myself, which Driad overheard and he quickly turned his head to me in confusion and said "Huh?" Which I responded to with a "What?" And the Crayzee Dayzee then dropped the issue and lowered his vine before he turned the rest of his body towards me. "Say, why do you look a bit down there Mew?" Without even realizing it, my eyelids apparently began to slant and the rest of my face had shifted to a somber expression. I snapped out of it the moment Driad pointed it out though, denying what had been asked with a few shakes of the head and quickly thought up answer of "Nothing, nothing at all."

Driad tilts his head, his creaked eyelids clearly being used to show me that he had a hard time believing my answer. "Come on, I may be a bit goofy at times, but that doesn't mean I can't sense distress. So tell me, what's up?" I guess there was no point in hiding it since my flowery friend has already noted my feelings. After a brief sigh to show some reluctance, I closed my eyelids and said to Driad "There a lot of factors involved Driad. First is that I'm really hungry, second is that I barely managed to defeat Gemini, and third…" I paused for a moment there. I was about to say something that I would never be able to take back.

I was going to reveal the Chronicler's existence to Driad, explain to him everything I knew about him, how he has helped me, the story he told me about my forgotten past, the consequences of that revelation, and the trouble he is in now. After all, with him now in danger, there really wasn't any point in keeping his identity a secret, especially since Mr. Reality knew of his existence. But would now really be the best time? If anything, I'd rather have Luigi around before I dropped such heavy secrets out of my mouth. "…Actually, do you know when Luigi is going to be back?" I switch what was I gonna say at the last moment, asking Driad a question that would decide just when I should reveal my intel.

"Ummm, he said he'd back really early tomorrow. He wanted to stay the night at Nimbus Land in hopes that Mallow might awaken by the next morning so he could bring him back down." Well I guess that settled it then. If two of my friends were gonna come back tomorrow, then that would mean half of the group would be united in this house, and it would make it more convenient for me to reveal what I knew. "Alright, then I'll tell you the third thing tomorrow." Driad pouted, since he really wanted to hear the secret now. "Hey, don't worry about it, I'm not trying to avoid saying anything, I just think it would be better if everyone else was here and conscious to hear it." That was the reasoning I gave to my friend, and after a few seconds of looking around the Crayzee Dayzee retracted his pout and replaced it with a smile, raising one vine up to pat me on the shoulder and says "Alright, I understand."

"Al-" I was almost about to say 'alright', and I think that's been used enough times in one conversation, so instead I said "Ok then." With that topic dealt with, Driad and I took Gemini into the bedroom and placed him on the red bed adjacent to Florence's green one. Once he was tucked into the sheets we checked up on Florence's condition. He wasn't sweating, so the pain wasn't harming him in his sleep, and he didn't have a fever, so he wasn't infected through the scar in his eye. All in all, both M.S.I. agents' conditions registered as A-OK on our scales, so we left the room relieved that they were recovering.

"So how long until Gemini wakes up?" Driad asked as he walked beside me. I shrugged my shoulders, replying to him with "I don't know. Its obviously not instantaneous like it was with Luigi…Really, Gemini was beaten up pretty badly before I confronted his 'Shadow', long story there, I'll tell you at lunch…So I'd just like to predict that he'll be back up and running by morning." That wasn't really me being optimistic, I was just going by what happened with Driad as an example. "We'll see, I guess…" Is all my flowery friend said in response. We then finally made it to the kitchen.

With Driad's help, the two of us made a lovely salad just before it hit 1:00, which we garnished with some Caesar dressing Luigi just happened to have in the refrigerator. It was a comforting meal, and left us both feeling satiated after we had consumed it fully. "Got to admit Driad…" I said as I laid back in the chair and patted my now full belly and let out a complimentary belch. "Those fruits and veggies of yours taste both fresh and delicious…" Driad shared my views, laying back and letting out a tiny, pleased moan from his mouth due to how full he was before replying to me with "Yeah…Though I will admit the first times I tried to make food I just…Well, ended up with fertilizer."

I widen my eyes briefly in disgusted shock, wondering just how it probably felt to have such excrement coming out of his body before saying to him "Ew…But how did you manage to overcome that flaw?" "I just focused on the fruit or vegetable I wanted to create myself, imagined how many fibers composed its being, and the rest was a piece of cake from there on." "But what about the ones that don't have fibers?" I asked, which left Driad frozen in place as he nervously stared at me and laughed. "Hehe…Yeah, I can't make those type of fruits or veggies yet. Don't think its possible for me, to be honest."

"Never know until you try though, but I'm still impressed by what you can make." My compliment earned yet another innocent smile from Driad. With nothing else to do at the table, the two of us cleaned up and went about our normal business for the day. I mainly relaxed and watched T.V. in the living room, since I had no reason to head into town. Driad joined me later after heading outside and tending to the garden, since he had volunteered to do that for Luigi while he was gone. Driad eventually convinced me to watch a movie with him, though I didn't really understand the plot. I think it was about an avenger who tried to get revenge for his slain family but attacked someone else unrelated to the incident, and he ended up dying because he wouldn't stop and the guy's friends got involved, but I don't know, it really was a pretty ridiculous plot…

The next thing you know, it is nearly time for dinner, and as the two of us get out of the couch with a smile from Driad and a confused expression from me we hear a light moaning noise coming from the bedroom. We turn to it, and find Florence stumbling out of the room with his left arm leaning against the doorway. He has his other hand rubbing against his good eyelid, letting out a tired yawn as his body leans forward slightly towards us. "Ugh…" He moans, opening his eyelid up and looking at us to say "Hey you guys…How long have I been out for?"

Driad and I looked at each other, then turned to Florence and fumbled a response from our mouths "Umm…About Six hours…" The Yoshi opened his eyelid and stopped leaning against the door, keeping his body steady as he blinks a few times in my general direction. "You already dealt with the Lightning Palace in that short amount of time?" He was really far off in his estimate, so I corrected him by saying "Oh heavens no…I finished about four hours ago. The temples really aren't hard to deal with now that I can fly again." Florence stood still for a few seconds, as if he realized something really important thanks to what I just confirmed.

"That means that…" He turns around, looks back into the room from which he emerged from, and with what I can only imagine to be an express of shock he runs in and goes to Gemini's bedside. He kneels down and begins talking to him, so Driad and I choose not to go in and interfere since its obviously personal. "Lets go make dinner while he is busy." I whispered into the Crayzee Dayzee's ear, and with a nod he agrees and we leave without saying another word. Once in the kitchen I start pilfering through the refrigerator to try and find something for us to cook. As I do though Driad says to me "Geez, first you, then Florence, then Gemini, and soon Mallow will be coming here to stay for a while…At this rate we are gonna need to get more chairs to seat everyone for each meal."

I could tell he was rustling through the silverware and drawers as he was talking, but I knew he would hear me chuckle at his remark all the same. "Heh…Yeah, assuming we even have enough food by that time…" Driad voices his concerns, and after a few more seconds of struggling to think up something to eat, mainly because of my lack of knowledge of the planet's foods and Driad's refusal to work with meat considering that the juices can sink into his vines, Florence comes into the kitchen and notices both of our puzzled expressions as we stand between the sink and the table while we lean our backs against the counter.

"What are you guys doing?" The Red Yoshi asked with his eye raised in curiosity. "Trying to figure out what to make for dinner…" Driad and I both responded, causing us to look at each in surprise due to how in-sync we were. "Well, if you don't mind me intruding your appliances for a moment…" Florence quickly makes his way towards the refrigerator, swinging open the door with his stout arms and quickly rummaging through the products inside for some unknown use. "What are you doing Florence?" I asked as I turned my head towards him with one hand still near the bottom of my face.

"I'm gonna make you guys dinner, since you were so kind as to provide me and Gemini hospitality while we recover and wait for the rest of the M.S.I. to be restored. Now lets see here…" A few seconds after explaining his sudden generosity, Florence pulls his body out, in the delicate grasp of his arms was a bunch of foods I didn't recognize. "What do you plan to do with those?" "I'm going to make an old Yoshi's Island delicacy. If you two could pardon yourselves for a few minutes I should be able to whip it up." He stood still, waiting for Driad and I to excuse ourselves from the vicinity of the sink so he could wash up some leaves, but as we headed to the living room I turned around and asked "You sure you don't want our help Florence?"

"Not at all. Just relax, do whatever it is you were doing before I woke up, and I'll call you when its ready." With his reassurance and denial of my offer, Driad and I retreated into the living room, watching news on the T.V. for about half-an-hour until Florence peeks his head through the kitchen door and calls to us with his hands being dried off on a towel, "Ok, dinner is ready you two." He didn't sound particularly enthusiastic in his call, maybe because something went wrong with the meal, but it would be rude to show hesitation, so I got up off the couch and went into the kitchen to see what he had set up on the table.

I was surprised, quite honestly, by the quality of the cuisine assembled atop the latex cloth. Everything looked fresh and warm, as I could judge from the steams hovering out of the meat. Not only that, but he had perfectly laid out the silverware beside the plates on top of the napkins, and even pulled out a candle and lit it at the center of the table. It was crazy to think that he went through such trouble just because we were allowing him to stay here with Gemini until I saved the M.S.I. base from evil's grasp. "Florence…I-I don't know what to-" "You could start by taking a bite of the food, and maybe then you'll have an easy time figuring out what to do from there."

Rendered speechless by what the Yoshi had done for us, I decided to listen to his suggestion and joined him at the table with Driad following not long afterwards. Florence decided to wait for the two of us to take the first bite, so he could keep his mouth open to respond to whatever we had to say about his food. I eagerly took a fork and knife and cut into the corner of the meat, which has been topped with a yellow-ish spice and a grilled purple pepper. The inside of the meat was colored blue, which would be suspicious on any other planet besides this one. Without reluctance, I plunged the piece of meat into my mouth.

It didn't take long for the juice to come pouring out from the result of my bite, and as it gushed around inside my mouth in combination with the meaty texture of the food I could only say one thing. "Mmmmmm…" I said, as my eyes glazed over and my facial features relaxed to fully enjoy the tantalizing sensation pleasuring my taste buds. I finished the bite quickly, just so I could relish the sensation all over again with another bite. Florence looked at us both with a smile and let out a relieved sigh trough his seed-shaped nostrils. "Whew…Glad to see you guys are enjoying the Nep-Enut Steak that I garnished with Pirahna Pollen and Shy Guy Peppers."

"Wait, this is Nep-Enut meat? I thought those guys were made of water…" I tilted my head and inquired after Florence finished speaking. "No no no…My people just called it that because the texture of the meat reminded them of the Nep-Enuts." "Oh, well that makes sense." I replied in an understanding tone as I took another bite of the steak. "Got to admit, its very juicy, yet none of the meat is raw…it's a very nice combination, so why did you sound concerned about us eating it?" Florence looked at us with an embarrassed yellow flush in his cheeks, which makes sense considering a normal colored blush wouldn't be visible in his skin.

"Because its nothing like the way my parents used to make it…" He then said. This sounded like a conversation starter, as if he was hinting to us to ask about his life before the M.S.I., and considering my piquing curiosity I jumped at the chance to be the first to ask a question. "Really? Your parents must've been pretty good chefs…Speaking of them, what was your life like before you joined the M.S.I.?" Florence stopped looking embarrassed and turned his head back to look at me, then turned to Driad, whose eyes were widening in anticipation for the answer while the silverware had been dropped out of his hands entirely.

"Well, if you guys are that curious, I guess I can satisfy that curiosity…You know how most Yoshis are able to drag enemies into their bodies with their tongues and turn them into eggs, or briefly gain specific powers depending on what Koopa shells they eat?" We both nodded our heads to confirm that knowledge. "You see, I was born without the specific enzymes that allow members of our species to perform such an action. I could still digest food and draw in enemies with my tongue, but I can't make eggs nor get powers from Koopa shells. Of course, I can still flutter jump, so its not like I'm incredibly handicapped compared to other Yoshis."

"But you could only imagine the type of ridicule I faced for being different than everyone else. I'm not trying to make a sob story out of my life though, so I'll skip over the majority of my youth and get to the meat of my past." After taking a moment to catch his breath, Florence lets out a cough and closes his eyelids before continuing to speak. "Back when Bowser was first trying to establish power on Plit after his first kidnap attempt on Peach succeeded, this is back before the Mario Bros. appeared mind you, he had sent his loyal retainer Kamek to Yoshi's Island to subject us to his rule."

"Naturally, everyone resisted, mainly because no one saw Kamek as a threat due to the past generation's endeavors against him and his plans, and some of us even attacked him to repel him and his forces from the island….In the end, that didn't turn out to be the best of ideas. Revolted that such primitive creatures could've been a thorn in his side for so long, Kamek snapped and decided to make an example out of a specific group of Yoshis to show that he was not someone to be taken lightly…With a few blasts of his wand, everyone in my family besides me were wiped off the face of the planet. He left me alive just to show that it was completely in his power to decide whether anymore Yoshis would either be spared or killed."

"I had no time to cry about the loss of my family, cause me and the other Yoshis were forced into labor on our very own Island, working to build castles for Bowser and his seven children. However, it only took a few months for news to arrive from the mainland that Bowser had been defeated by two Italian plumbers and that Peach had begun to restore order to the Mushroom Kingdom. Panicking for his master's well-being, Kamek packed up her forces and left the Island, giving us an uncertain period of time to regain our island before he returned with Bowser in tow…Though I think you know how that tale went."

"Anyways, not longer after Kamek's departure, a copter landed on our island, and who else would appear from it but Commander Alpha, making the rounds across the land to see just who needed what type of help and how much of it would be required. He came with Lieutenant Gemini, who was still recovering from a failed confrontation with Bowser a month or so back. After offering condolences to everyone who had to suffer, Alpha promised that he would be sending in a clean-up crew to help with the destruction of the castles within a week, who as I later found out turned out to be Mario and Luigi, though they obviously didn't receive a request to go over and just so happened to be vacationing at the time of Bowser's return to the Island."

"However, before the two of them left, I leapt out of the shadows and confronted the two of them with nothing more than a bamboo stick in my hands. I demanded that they take me with them, awe-inspired by Gemini's ability to stand toe-to-toe with the monster who sent that murderer to my Island and leave. Alpha jokingly wondered why I was standing before them with a stick, especially since Yoshis are more known to throw eggs. I willingly revealed my defect, claiming that I didn't need what other Yoshis had to prove myself to him. So Alpha made a deal with me. If I could get Gemini onto his knees without my bamboo stick burning or breaking, then he would let me join the M.S.I."

"Gemini didn't use his legendary trident in battle, but willingly fired lightning bolts left and right to try and get me. But I used my agility to get around each shot, batting the smaller ones back his way with my stick. I actually managed to land a few blows while the Lieutenant was surprised by my natural skill in combat, but even with how weakened he was all it took was one precision strike at the center of my bamboo stick for it to start burning. However, even though Alpha said that it was the end of that, I charged at Gemini before fully hearing him and struck his kneecaps hard with the two halves of the sticks before the flames reached my hands and I was forced to discard them."

"Gemini fell to his knees, and the Commander was left in silence. I raised my head towards him and slanted my eyebrows, telling him that 'Even if my weapon is broken, my hands still function. And so long as I have them, I am not going to give up in battle.' To which Alpha folded his arms behind his back and rebutted my insightful words with 'But what if your hands are your weapons? What shall you do if they break?' Which I responded with 'Doesn't matter if my hands break, my legs crumble, my tongue is pulled out and my eyes are destroyed, I will keep fighting so long as I have even one part of my body functioning.' Then Alpha laughed, not out if pity for my ideal but because he was overjoyed to hear the right answer. He then clapped his hands, and Gemini got up, revealing that he purposely took the blow so the Commander could test me on my dedication to my goal."

"However, he gave me a lecture about how being in the M.S.I. isn't about just learning how to fight and get revenge, but to also help others and benefit the planet in any way we can. His lessons on that matter still influence me to this day, quite honestly. Still, the Commander was greatly satisfied with what he saw, and at the young age of 15 I joined the M.S.I., leaving Yoshi's Island behind forever…" Florence reached the end of his story, folding his arms in front of his face while using the table as support for his elbows and giving himself a few seconds to catch his breath. Frankly, I had no words to say besides "Wow…", and Driad had been driven absolutely silent by the whole tale.

"Anyways, I believe our dinner is going to get cold unless we continue eating it now, so you are welcome to share your thoughts on my tale between bites." Florence spoke in such a way that made it seem that he felt that the details of his tale were of little consequence to us both, and went back to his food without a care in the world. Even so, Driad and I asked him about his time in the M.S.I. up until the present day, and he casually shared a few more tidbits on the training and lessons he went through, and the arduous process of becoming a Captain. It was a very stirring series of tales, so much in fact that I eventually lost track of the fact that I needed to eat and by the time I was done the meat had gone cold.

"Heh, I guess if Driad is a aloof little brother, Florence is the cool brother/war veteran who always has a riveting tale to tell…" I thought to myself as I wiped some juice that was dripping from my mouth with a few pats of my napkin. Not long after that, we all worked together to clean-up, even with Florence's insistence that he worked alone. We didn't let him say no for long though, and taking a look at his face led me to believe that he didn't really care about our decision. It didn't take too long for our efforts to succeed, and then we went about our own business for the rest of the night.

While I laid back on the couch and watched T.V., Florence and Driad went for a walk under the starry night sky. Gemini was still asleep, so I actually had to wonder where Florence or Driad was going to sleep since there were only three resting places in the entire house. A few hours passed, and the two of them came back just in time for bedtime. Driad waved goodnight to Florence and went back out the door, leaving the Yoshi here with a rather bewildered me as he passed through the living room. "Where is Driad going?" I asked, and Florence stopped in place and turned to me. "Oh, he volunteered to sleep in his pot tonight, so I'm taking the spare bed in his stead."

"That makes sense…" I said with a great deal of understanding. "Anyways…Look, Mew, I heard from Driad about your amnesia, so I know you probably don't remember…" Florence nervously began rubbing the back of his head as he looked at me. "We did meet once before. I'm just glad that this time around, I was able to have an actual conversation with you. Anyways, good night, me and Gemini will see you in the morning." The Yoshi then retreated into the bedroom, leaving me to ponder the meaning behind his words. "This time around?" I murmured to myself as I gazed down at the ground. That could mean a lot of things really, all of which I'd have plenty of time to think about as I laid my hands back behind my head and started to head into a deep slumber…

_Next Time: What Lost Memories?_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: The Eighth Temple**

Morning came just as quickly as it did every other day. Sometimes I had to wonder how I even knew that the sun had risen, especially since there was only one window in this entire house, and it was currently sealed off by the curtains. "Yawn…Goodness gracious, I really slept well last night…" I said as I went through the usual motions upon awakening. I wasn't greeted by anyone this morning, but I could hear some noises that indicated activity coming from the bedroom. I turned my head towards the doorway, sharpening my hearing with an intense degree of focus so I could tell what was going on in there.

Florence was awaken and communicating with someone. It really didn't take a genius to figure out that Gemini had gotten up and was discussing something important with his comrade. From the sounds of things, they had been going at it for quite a while, but continued to speak quietly so they wouldn't have woken me up prematurely. Even when Gemini turns his head my way and notices me looking into the room, he doesn't acknowledge my presence with a nod or anything and just quickly turns back to look at Florence, nodding his head once without saying a word.

"Huh, that's rather strange…" I said, thinking little of the action, or rather the lack of an action, that the Koopa had taken towards seeing me. "It really couldn't have killed him to slip out a 'Good Morning' in the midst of a conversation, could it?" I then noted, rubbing the back of my head and shifting my eyelids in confusion before I got on my feet and started to walk around to get the blood flowing early. I decided to avoid heading towards the bedroom, since approaching it would probably earn nothing but a glare from the two and a sudden silence in their conversation.

"Guess I'll go see if Driad's awake…" I whispered my immediate motive for the morning while stretching an arm behind my neck so the hand can help stretch the other arm above my head. I walk towards the front door and open by the handle, swinging it outwards and relishing in the fresh morning breeze that blows right into my face. It felt relaxing, as usual, though something did feel a bit off about it this time. I remembered the Master's advice from yesterday, and removed my focus from all other sources so I could close my eyelids and listen to what the gentle breeze had to say to me. _"Do not free it…Do not free the light…"_

The message went through my eardrums quickly, but I could pick up on the ominous vibes coming from the way it was spoken. I couldn't help but be confused once more though, since there was really no context to which I could match the message with. "Don't free the light? Huh…" As I thought about the meaning to myself, I was interrupted by the innocent voice of Driad. "Don't free the light?" He mimicked what I had said in a tone of greater confusion than my own. I turned towards him and watched as he uprooted his vines through the grains of dirt and laid them out beyond the rim of the pot. "Did you have some type of weird dream or something last night?"

"Nah, the wind just gave me that message." Was the response I nonchalantly gave to my flowery friend. "The wind gave you-" He gave me a dumbfounded look at the start of his sentence, but then his face returned to normal before he remembered what happened yesterday. "Oh that's right, his advice…" He was really reluctant to mention the Master in a sentence, and it seemed as though it was difficult for him to even use a pronoun in place of his name. In spite of that, Driad got out of the pot with a reassuring smile on his face and said to me as he brushed the dirt off of his body "I wouldn't worry about it right now. You aren't really dealing with anything related to the light anyways."

"Instead I'm having to deal with the living darkness that is buried in the subconscious of the sentient mind…" I thought to myself as I shifted my eyes to the left with a somber expression briefly appearing on my face in the time it takes for Driad to close and re-open his eyelids. "So I'm assuming Gemini is awake right now?" He asks, his tender smile exemplifying the optimism in his tone of voice. "Yeah, but he is busy talking with Florence so I don't think it's a good idea to disturb him." "Actually, we finished our conversation about twenty seconds ago." Without warning Gemini's voice interrupts the conversation Driad and I were having. My immediate reaction is to pull my body back in surprise and let out a yelp as my heart skips a beat.

The Koopa was leaning right arm first against the doorway, which I had forgotten to shut upon exiting the house. After accepting Gemini's presence and regaining my composure, Driad turned to me and kept his innocent demeanor as he said to me "Yeah, that's kind of why I was asking, hehe…" I couldn't really fault Driad for not alerting me of Gemini's presence, especially when he wanted to get a little harmless humor out of it. After a quick sigh, I turned to Gemini, watching as he stopped leaning against the doorway and stood up straight to look at me in the eyes with his expression stoic and his arms folded in front of his chest. "So you feeling better now?" I asked.

"I slept like an angel, let me tell ya…My body was so relaxed that even that stiff mattress Mario has on his bed felt like a cloud. That other me really did a number on me, honestly…" I was surprised that Gemini remembered such a detail. Really, I was hoping it would've been knocked out of him when he went unconscious, but I guess that's not the case. "Anyways, get on in, I think its time we had breakfast, don't you think?" I was in agreement with what Gemini said, and with the two of us nodding our heads we entered the house. Driad followed us not long afterwards, obviously.

Gemini chose to make breakfast this time, but Florence helped him after the Koopa accepted his offer. With their efforts it didn't take long at all for breakfast to be made for the four of us. It was another omelet, this time just a simple sausage one with cheddar and peppers on it. I must admit, even after having the other succulent treats over the past few days I didn't have a difficult time adjusting to this simple meal. "Good job you two." I gave my compliments, and Gemini and Florence thanked me for them. Breakfast went by faster than expected, thanks mainly in part to the conversation the four of us have about how our sleep went last night.

So the usual cycle of clean up occurred, and just as we were about to finish we all heard a couple knocks on the door. We froze in place in the kitchen, except for Driad, who was sitting down in the living room at the time so his reaction was not noticed by us. "Keep at it you two, I'll be right back." I waved at Gemini and Florence, laying down the towel I was using to dry the washed off plates and walking over to the door. I pulled on the handle like I did earlier this morning, and upon swinging it open I was greeted by Luigi and Mallow standing side-by-side on the porch.

Luigi was sweating across the forehead for some reason, while Mallow was panting lightly. "Welcome back you two." I started off with a greeting, but then proceeded to ask them with my head tilted in confusion "But why do you look so tired?" "We ran into someone on the way back here…Helped them carry something…Whew…I need some water…" Luigi wipes his right glove across his forehead to brush away the sweat, then I move to the side so he can walk past me and head towards the cabinets above the sink. That just left Mallow alone with me, and he look at my face and said to me "Hey, thanks for rescuing me from that alien's control. My parents filled me in on what happened, and I'm sorry if I harmed you in any way."

The Nimbusian prince felt some regret for what happened even though he had no control over his actions, but I accepted the apology all the same. "Its fine, don't worry about it. Trust me, it won't happen again." After giving him some reassurance, Mallow walked past me and was greeted instantly by Driad. As I saw everyone communicating with each other in the house, I thought back to the reason Luigi gave for his late return. "Wait a second, helped carry something…Who did they…" My murmurs were heard by someone behind me, for they responded with a familiar yet jolly "Ohohohoho…"

I turned my body to the left slowly and looked out past the steps. Standing on the ground with his left hand tapping the side of his swirly glasses and his other arm tucked into the pocket of his white lab coat was Professor E. Gadd, a round-headed human of Mario's height who is rather old yet very smart when it comes to a variety of subjects. His most distinguishable feature besides his glasses is the ice cream-like bundle of white hair on his head. It was a surprise to see him, especially after it had been so long since our last encounter, but the Professor greeted me happily and casually as if we had only seen each other just recently "Its nice to see you again, young Overlord." He then walked over to me by climbing the two steps in front of him.

"E. Gadd? When did you get back into town?" I asked, especially since he was confirmed missing after the 'Midnight Channel' covered the planet. "Just this morning actually. I'd fill you in on the details, but seeing as Driad, Gemini and Florence don't know about what happened…" "Right, we should get inside and clear a lot of issues up." "You read my mind child. Ohohoho, but first, I do wonder if Luigi has kept any of those tea leaves I gave him a month ago, cause I'm feeling rather famished and could use something to drink right about now…" After his first sentence E. Gadd turns and headed into the house, his voice trailing off as he quieted into a whisper and went towards the sink that Luigi had already moved away from.

"Boy, we really have a lot of cover, don't we?" I thought to myself as I folded my arms in front of my chest and let out a somewhat annoyed sigh. We had to find out about where E. Gadd has been, ask him if he has uncovered any sort of prophecy tablet that could help us best Mr. Reality, fill Gemini in on everything up until this point, and I had to let everyone know about who the Chronicler was and what he had told me about my past. None of this would be dealt with in a particular order, though I was seriously hoping to deal with the Chronicler thing at the end of it all. For now, it was simply time for everyone to spend some time talking to each other and seeing how they are doing.

Surprisingly, it only took about ten minutes for all of us to gather in the living room. E. Gadd asked Luigi to move the T.V. out of the way for an unknown purpose, and once it was in the corner of the room the Professor tucked his left hand into his shirt pocket and shuffled it around in search of something. In the meantime, Gemini and Florence sat themselves down onto the couch while I stood near the kitchen and Driad and Mallow stood near the bedroom door. "What are you doing?" Driad asked, while the Professor continued fumbling around in his pocket in search of something.

"Trying to pull out the hyperspace cube I had brought with me…" "You developed a hyperspace cube?" Gemini inquired in a tone of subdued surprise and intrigue, and E. Gadd lets out his signature jolly laughter before his actual response. "I had already created one long ago. I just made it a part of my upgraded F.L.U.D.D. back then. This one is a singular unit capable of levitating objects with a plasma gravitational field…Ah! Found it!" With a tug of his arm the elderly professor pulls out a red plastic box with a circular metal rim poking out the top of it. There are a series of miniature buttons on the side that are perfectly sized for the Professor's fingers.

He bends down and lays it on the floor within a second. But instead of staying down and tapping his fingers across the buttons he stands back up and nudges his glasses upward so the rims aren't stuck to the skin of his nos. "You may be wondering where I've been up to for the last month or so, especially since my lab was abandoned and I had removed myself from the contact of the outside world. You see, I have been traveling the world in search of something…A missing fragment of this particular artifact…" E. Gadd then kneels down and taps the buttons on the keyboard, and after a bright aqua-blue light flushes its way through the hole a large stone tablet pops out instantaneously.

It was surrounded by a pale blue, gelatinous shroud, but even with it I was able to recognize it right away. Everyone else in the room besides Florence and E. Gadd shared a surprised flinch as we realized that it was the tablet that prophesized the rebirth of the Elemental Overlord, the one artifact that we had relied on in the past to find the seven temples and the Origin Temple itself. But why bring it out now? That was the big question I had assumed was on everyone's mind. "I shouldn't have to remind you about what this is. However, there was something I noticed near the end of your journey, a theory I shared only with Mario and Alpha long ago…"

E. Gadd walks towards a specific corner of the tablet and points his finger towards it. We stared at it, and though we saw some unintelligible text we could tell that there was more to it than what was there simply because a big chunk of the rock had been broken off of it. "The words that are here state that 'In secret it lies, out of sight. A temple forged, the torment-' And that's where it ends. I was wandering the world in such of the last piece, but my efforts have thus far amounted to naught." "So why bring it up then?" I asked, and as the professor turned to me he kept a jolly look on his face and chuckled once more, replying to my rather jerkish inquiry with politeness "Because I believe it may be relevant to our current predicament."

The Professor then turned towards Gemini, who had kept silent after his previous question. "I'm assuming you've been updated on what's been going on, yes?" The Koopa merely nodded his head and folded his arms away from his chin, saying in turn "Yeah, Florence caught me up this morning, thankfully." "Good, good. Anyways, you see, I believe the fragmented passage revealed on this tablet detail the location of an eighth temple, one that may in fact hold the key to besting our mysterious alien visitor." As everyone's eyes widened as a glimmer of hope was revealed to us today, I could hear Florence humming to himself while he appeared to be deep in thought.

"Florence, you got something you wish to share with us?" I asked. The Yoshi lowered his arms and looked back up at the tablet. "Call this a long-shot, but I think I may know where the fragment you are looking for is. About a year ago, I just so happened to wander into Alpha's Commander Sphere, and watched as he was fiddling around with some sort of rock until he realized I was there and quickly stuffed it into his right arm for safe-keeping. I didn't pursue the subject at the time because I didn't think it was any of my business, but now it probably has some relevance, wouldn't you say?"

"Alpha has the fragment? You know, that raises a lot of questions as to how he got it and why he hasn't given it to E. Gadd before now, but the most important thing right now is this…We don't even know where your Commander is." Luigi raised a good point, but it wasn't exactly one that was difficult for the wise professor to address as he bent down and used the cube to get the tablet back into it. "Well it shouldn't be too hard to narrow down which temple he is guarding right now, correct? You already determined that Mario is at the Ignitor Cave, which just leaves Geno and Alpha for either the Terra Cave or the Frozen Palace. Gemini, Florence, as the last witnesses to his location, what can you give us on it?"

"Before Mr. Reality appeared there was only one part of Plit that had remained untouched by that monochrome realm, and those were the icy mountains. If anything, I would suspect that the Commander was placed in charge of the Frozen Palace." Florence quickly stated. "That's two temples away then…" Mallow interjects. "And so two temples it shall be until we possibly learn the secret behind the missing fragment." E. Gadd says as he puts his cube away. Secret…Yeah, that word holds a lot of meaning for me right now. From the true selves that my friends had been hiding to bits of my past that I had forgotten entirely, it seems most of this journey has dealt with one secret after another with no end in sight.

But there is one secret that shall be revealed, and now seemed like a good time to go through with it. "Hey you guys…I want to ask you a question." Everyone went silent and turned their heads towards me, anticipation present on their faces in a variety of ways. I was feeling a bit nervous as I watched them all stare at me, but if I backed down now I would just end up feeling worse because of it. "I recall that near the climax of our journey I revealed to most of you about what happened to my parents…However, I was wondering…Did I, perhaps…" I began to go into detail about everything else I knew about my past between the loss of my parents and the day Mario appeared on Earth. I kept the descriptions simple so as to not waste too much time, though I will honestly admit it felt horrible to have to remember and speak of that disgusting tale all over again.

Thankfully, by the time I was done everyone was frozen in utter disbelief, for all of them shared the same disgust on their faces as I imagined that they would. Gemini in particular rose up from the couch in righteous fury and punched the wall beside him with one rock hard punch that cracked the surface in a six-inch radius. He then grit his teeth and growled in anger, saying to me "To think that there could be someone else like him in this universe…" I knew I was missing some context as to why he made that comment, but now was definitely not the right time for me to say anything to him, especially when Luigi grimly commented on my tale with "No…No you never did tell us about that…"

"To think that another human would use science simply for the benefit of his own tyrannical beliefs…Such a being should just simply not exist." This was the only time I had seen E. Gadd discard his cheerful demeanor as he talked, and it was really a true tale sign about how horrific my tale was for the group. "Why didn't you tell us about this before?!" Driad yelled out to me in enraged bewilderment. It really hurt coming from him, especially since out of everyone here he was the one person who had the biggest amount of trust invested in me. "B-Because…Before he told me about it, I didn't even remember that-"

"Wait wait wait…Who is this 'he' person you are talking about?" Gemini stopped his anger the very moment he heard the aforementioned pronoun and lifted his head up to glare at me. "Alright Mew, what else are you hiding?" He was firm in his inquiry, leaving me no room to take back what I had said as everyone else looked at me in unison. With no other options left, I let out a heavy sigh and begun explaining EVERYTHING I knew about the Chronicler from the beginning to now, ending things off with "Until I met him at the Lightning Palace, I honestly did not recall anything about the experiments performed on my body."

Everyone was silent, but the somber mood had died down a bit thanks to my honesty. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, I just didn't want his cover blown, that's all…" E. Gadd just started scratching his head and mumbled something under his breath. Everyone else kept quiet until Luigi thrust his eyelids open and swung his arms back and forth a few times, holding his hands out and tilting his head before saying "Ok, I'm really starting to get confused now, so let me see if I got this all straight." He then lifted his head up and pointed at me with his right hand.

"You don't remember anything that happened in your life a year ago, and you also don't remember something really important that happened in your life between your parent's death and your arrival here…This Chronicler guy knows all of your history though, and has been helping you against a reality bender because he is unaffected by his powers…But now Mr. Reality has found a way to circumvent that problem and the Chronicler is on the run. And then we got this eighth temple that Alpha holds the key to finding…Gah, I remember when it was all just as simple as jumping on a few turtle shells and dropping down flagpoles…"

As Gemini quickly glared at the man in green for making a rather offensive comment towards other members of his species, he then looked back at me with something clearly on his mind. "Actually Luigi, I think I can help make things simpler for us all…Because honestly, I don't think 'Mew' really has amnesia." "WHAT?!" Everyone share my sentiment of utter surprise towards Gemini's theory. Everyone except for E. Gadd, suspiciously enough…"Mew, there is one definitive way for us to find out the truth about your memories…" Gemini stands up and looks at me long and hard, trying to see if I would become unhinged by his accusations.

I stayed strong though, cause I firmly believed that his theory was ludicrous. "Mew, what do you remember happening at the Origin Temple after you claimed your powers?" "What I remember is that the temple collapsed after its purpose had been served. Why?" I ended my answer with another question, and Gemini let out a light sigh as if he was reluctant to continue this line of conversation. "You know, last I checked, amnesia makes you completely forget events and things in your life. I've never heard of it rewriting how things transpired…" Gemini walked past the table as he spoke, keeping his eyelids closed as to avoid seeing my reaction to everything he is saying. It was his way of making the news less difficult for him to reveal.

"Everything adds up now. Your inability to remember some of the most traumatic moments from your past, the change of name, the rewriting of some of the events that you do remember…Your memories haven't been erased 'Mew', they were tampered with!" At the end of his sentence Gemini stands still in front of the table, opening his eyes up wide and pointing straight at me while everyone else flinches in surprise at the Koopa's reveal. I took the news the hardest of all, and as I moved my body away from the wall I simply held my right hand out in front of my chest and kept my mouth somewhat agape, my other limb trembling as I find it hard for me to contain this mental blow.

"W-What?" Was all I could muster to say. As Gemini lowered his arm, he glanced to the left as Driad called out to him. "N-Now wait just a minute here…I can see what you are getting at with the first and third points, but what does the change in name have anything to do with your theory Gemini?" He too had a difficult time speaking, and it was plain to see through the panicked widening of his eyes that the shock was harder for him to bear than it was for me. "Simple Driad. If he had amnesia, then he wouldn't remember a name at all, especially not one so different from his real one. But if someone tampered with his memories, it would be far too easy for them to inject whatever type of identity they want into him…"

"Listen Gemini, I-" I raised my voice suddenly without thinking. I lifted my pointer finger and brandished it at him ready to object to everything he was saying to me, but then I realized as I calmly lowered my arm that Gemini…Gemini was likely right. But it just didn't make any sense. I just don't think that its possible for my memories to be fake. There is just something in the pit of my gut that's telling me that I am who I say I am, and not someone else entirely. But just to be certain though… "Gemini…What is my real name?" "…" He folded his arms in front of his chest and subjected himself to silence, and then he lowered his head and closed his eyelids. "Gemini, please!"

I pleaded to him, holding my body outward with my fists clenched against my chest in desperation. There was no response, and as I looked around the room everyone else averted their gaze away from me. I was saddened immensely by their decision to avoid giving me an answer, and felt a betrayal the likes of which I would never feel again. "Fine, if that's how its going to be…" I was about to turn around and head out the door when an innocent whisper reaches my ear. "Alex Whiter…" It was Driad, speaking through the silence that drenched the room to reveal the truth that everyone else was choosing to keep buried.

I looked at him past Gemini's body, where even then he refused to look my way and instead chose to stare awkwardly at the floor beside him. "Alex Whiter is your real name…" He then turned towards me with teardrops glistening from his eyes. "In fact…All of us had some suspicions about who you really were from the start…" All I could do is quickly grimace at Driad and slanted my eyebrows as anger and distrust welled up inside of me. "Please! You have to understand…I didn't want to believe the others though when they tried to convince me that you weren't the real Alex…But I had missed you so much, because for the longest time I had believe that you were de-"

Before Driad was able to finish his sentence, the entire household began to shake violently. All of our bodies became unbalanced and the furniture shifts back and forth across the floor, while amidst the rattling of the structure I can hear metal clinging and glass breaking in a symphonious melody of destruction, which lasts for a full twenty seconds before the tremors suddenly stop and the house settles down. The first thing said after a minute in silence to make sure that no aftershock occur is "An earthquake?" "Yes, but that didn't feel like a natural one…" Gemini and Luigi exchange some words between each other, commenting on the suddenness of the earthquake.

"Professor, what do you think is going on?" Mallow asks E. Gadd, who is really better suited to solve this phenomenon than he is. "Hmm…Oh dear…I do believe that the earthquake has some connection to activity in the Terra Cave. After all, the Mushroom Kingdom has never had a natural earthquake before in the planet's entire history, so it is only right to assume that this one is connected to the one place on the planet where the Earth element can prosper…" I didn't wish to stick around and hear the group talk anymore though. E. Gadd's theory was good enough for me, and I didn't want another earthquake to rupture the planet anytime soon so I needed to get moving before it happens again.

I turned around and began to head for the door, only to be stopped once again by Driad. "Mew, where are you going?" He asked with a somber, bewildered tone in his voice. "I'm going to finish my journey, that's what. And honestly, after you all kept the truth about my identity a secret from me, don't expect me to be coming back here any time soon…" I clenched my fists in rage, having no regrets for my cold, bitter farewell as I stormed towards the front door and left the house before Driad could finish calling me by my real name, leaping into the air and taking flight in the direction of Moleville, which was the city closest to the desert where the Terra Cave lied at. I had no time to get some "advice" from the Master, and quietly honestly with how pissed and confused I was at the moment I could only imagine that our conversation would simply end on an unpleasant note. With a scowl on my face and my eyebrows arched in anger, I kept flying towards my destination without ever looking back…

_Next Time: The Rebirth Poin_


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: This Is Your Own Life**

I just wanted to get away from them, my supposed "friends" who injured my trust in them greatly by refusing to reveal the truth about my identity until just recently. I just couldn't believe that every last one of them led me along like that, playing along with the whole "amnesia" theory that Luigi had suggested until the truth blew up in their faces. That's all I thought about for a while as I flew through the air towards the sandy landscapes of the desert beyond Moleville. I didn't feel any guilt about how I reacted to the other's deceit. I didn't even feel guilt about how I reacted to Driad's innocent plea, since I believe that it was nothing more than a last ditch attempt to make himself look better amongst the others.

"I guess the only consolation to all this is that I can still trust Geno, Alpha and Mario, since I'm positive that none of them are in on this secret given the circumstances…" And this was a good thing, since I was on my way to rescue the Star Herald from the 'Midnight Channel' right now, and then I'd have someone to confide to about my predicament. I didn't know how long I had been flying for, but it didn't take a genius to see the tell-tale signs that I was nearing my destination. A quick look at the ground allowed me to see the monochrome split between the real world and the realm of paranormal origin.

I moved my body upright and kicked my feet against the air to slow myself down, swinging my right arm out to the side and drawing my sword from nowhere and tugging the yellow trigger just as my body began to phase into the invisible shroud that cuts off the two parts of the world. The clouds above burst with the claps of the thunder as a bolt of blue lightning comes down from above and smites me straight through. It does no harm to me though, instead putting me into my next form within the span of a second. The color of my vision has changed to a darkish green thanks to the visor attached to the helmet that now has been put onto my head.

I could feel the clink of metal as I moved my armored limbs around, placing my left hand against my hip as I raised my newly formed dark yellow sniper rifle in front of my face, using the visor's analysis capabilities to check the schematics to make sure that everything was in working order. "Electricity generator at 100% capacity, barrel is intact, and the trigger is greased and ready to fire…" With but a thought I cause the barrel to retract into the rest of the gun, leaving it in a compact form that I quickly holster onto my belt. As you can imagine, I'm currently decked out in a metallic commando suit, but contrary to most other armors mine is made out of black and yellow hardened lightning.

I have black latex gloves on in this form so I don't burn my hands every time I fire a shot from my weapon. My hair and eyes have become yellow and are covered by the visor along with my nose. As I was busy noting the details of my appearance I scanned the town below for signs of life. I locked on to each and every hut, performing scans for heat signatures or pulses only to come up with nothing on either end. This was bothersome, especially considering what happened before at Nimus Land. "Then again, if they simply became zombies, that would easily explain why neither of my scanners are working…" I folded my arms in front of my chest, thought about my theory for a few seconds, and after a disgruntled mumble I changed my line of thinking towards another problem.

"This temple is going to be really annoying, I just know it…" I thought to myself before I moved my arms outward and snapped my fingers so a light spark gets created and levitates gently above my extended right palm. "I like this form, I really do…" I said with awe-inspired honesty, but after a few seconds of reflecting upon the majesty of electricity I squeezed my fingers together and crushed the spark between them, lifting my head up and glaring out towards the desert and stating with weightiness in my voice "But effective against the Earth element, it is not…" Rocks and wood don't conduct electricity after all, and Geno will more than likely be using rocks for his attacks while his body will absorb the brunt of my blows. That's not even getting into the outer guardian, whose identity I don't even know.

"Time to get moving…" I began to fly through the air, moving myself closer to the ground as I kept my scanners running so I don't get jumped on by some unknown creature. However, another scanner on my visor begins to pick up another energy source from the ground. "Warning, tachyon-" Suddenly, a flash of light completely overtakes my body, and in an instance I'm on my feet somewhere in the middle of the desert, where my armor finishes speaking "-particles detected." Once again, it wasn't hard to figure out what was causing my visor to go off the way it was. Detecting a faint, familiar presence behind me, I turn around and find the Chronicler standing on a mound of sand, his robe being bombarded by the many grains that the wind has chosen to churn up.

"You again…" I was confused. The tachyon particles were what originally alerted Mr. Reality of the Chronicler's presence, and yet here he is, using them once more without an apparent care in the world. Still, even amidst my confusion I was really glad to see him again, since now I could apologize for my embittered departure yesterday. "Listen, I'm really sorry for-" As I nervously glanced away from the Chronicler and began to slowly piece together an act of contrition, the being raises his left hand out from the corner of his eye and takes his pointer finger in front of his mouth, letting out a quiet "Shhh…" to silence me mid-sentence.

I look back towards him and as my visor adjusts to the sandstorm to give me a clearer look at the Chronicler's body he folds his arms together through the sleeves of his robe and he slowly begins to walk towards me. "Its fine…I stuck around long enough after our conversation to see you recover from your anger. You have made me proud, young Overlord, and I do not need your apology because of that." It was fine and dandy that Chronicler so easily forgave me, but that didn't rid me of my guilty entirely. As the being stopped six feet away from my body I could see him peering into my guilt-ridden eyes through the shroud of his hood, and I nervously shifted my gaze to the right.

"Your forgiveness doesn't make my reaction to your tale justified…" "I'm not expecting you to look for justification child, but rather for you to understand my feelings on your behavior…" The Chronicler was kind in his response, but I was still feeling somewhat somber. This mood of mine did not escape the being's gaze even though my demeanor was hidden behind the armor I wore. "But I can tell that you are not perturbed by merely that tale anymore. Speak, we have plenty of time before I am targeted again." "Its just that…" I was a bit hesitant, simply because I didn't know where to begin. The problem didn't just lie on one factor, after all.

"Well, how can I even begin to understand why you feel the way you do when I don't even understand who I am? I always thought I was me, only to find out that my true identity could quite possibly be that of someone else…And even worse is the fact that my supposed 'friends' knew the truth about who I am and kept it a secret from me until they had no choice but to reveal it. So not only am I suffering an identity crisis, I feel absolutely betrayed, and I don't even know why I'm bothering to continue this stupid journey when I'm not even the person Mr. Reality wanted to play his game in the first place." I folded my arms in front of my chest, leaning forward as I could feel depression sinking deeper into me and my confidence began to slip away.

I didn't even feel like sighing in grief, because that would just be a wasted effort. All the while the Chronicler looked at me, humming to himself in eerie intrigue. "I think you are mistaken on all fronts, young Overlord. First off, you are angry at your friends for hiding the truth from you, but if I'm not mistaken did you not hide the truth about me from them until just recently?" I didn't understand what the Chronicler was getting at as he calmly began to rebuttal my points, but I still had a definitive answer to his question, which I showed with a simple nod of the head. "Now think for a moment…Why did you do that?"

"…Because it was for your own good." I hesitantly gave an answer, and though it was a little hard to admit at first I could see what the Chronicler was getting at. "Exactly. And it can only be assumed that your friends kept the truth away for your own good as well. Is it really so bad that they did that though? They didn't know you well enough, you were someone completely different from the boy they once knew, and thus they had no idea as to how you would react to the truth. They saw how happy you were around them, and continued to keep the truth away until you began to have concerns about your identity upon hearing the most recent part of my tale. So it wasn't a betrayal so much as they lacked the ability to understand how to handle such a delicate situation. Now, its up to you to decide how to handle your interactions with them from here on out, but don't you think you at least owe them an apology for storming off on them the way you did?"

I listened to the Chronicler until the very end, realizing more and more as each sentence was spoken that he was far too right about how everyone involved handled the truth about my identity. I overreacted when they had a legitimate reason for not telling me, but they just didn't know how to deal with it in the first place. However, even with my greater understanding of the "why", I still had no idea about the "who", as in "Who am I really?" "…I just don't get it though. I can't be this 'Alex Whiter' person, I don't believe it, I just refuse to deny what my heart is telling me to believe…So why is it that most of my memories match up with what you said in…Your…Tale…" I slowed down near the end of that sentence as I began to realize the cold hard truth about the Chronicler's tale.

My eyes widened, my mouth left slightly agape as I turned my gaze towards the Chronicler and felt my heart pounding slowly against my chest. "You were never telling my tale, were you? All this time, that was Alex Whiter's story, wasn't it?" The Chronicler's response was but a mere nod. It all made sense now. The discrepancy between his life and my memories, the similarities in appearance between me and the statue that was probably of him, the fact that Florence knew me even though I had never met him before…There was only one possible answer that could explain all of this, and that was that I am a clo- "No, wait…" I stopped myself from finishing that line of thinking, especially since I didn't want to get myself worked up again until I for certain heard the truth.

"Chronicler…Please, I have to know the truth. What is my connection to Alex Whiter? Why do I have his memories, why can I use the powers of the Elemental Overlord, and why do I have his appearance?" I asked without showing any desperation. I wanted to let the Chronicler know that I would be able to handle the truth no matter how shocking or obvious it may be. "…Very well. I think the time has truly come for you to learn the truth about your identity. But an origin cannot be fully explained without a prelude to that very event. You know everything about the journey Alex Whiter took to become the new Elemental Overlord, but what you don't know is that it did not simply end with him touching the Genesis Orb…No, there was still one more obstacle that the young Overlord had to overcome before he was truly home free…"

"_It all began at the beginning of the journey, not long after the events of the Nature Castle had unfolded. The boy named Alex Whiter was walking around Toad Town, trying to find Driad after he had ran off somewhere. But from out of nowhere, HE appeared. A boy by the name of Joe Dark, whose age was exactly the same as Alex's. He was a broken child, driven by an insane vendetta to deliver vengeance upon the boy he continuously called by his last name. His rage and unholy desires drove him to great extremes, such as teaming up with the monstrous witch Cackletta and accepting the spirit of the Dark King into his body, which in turn forced him to inherit his legacy."_

"_After many other encounters and one in particular where the group assumed that he was killed for good, he made his reappearance in the Origin Temple at the apex of the journey, declaring his intentions to absorb the Elemental Overlord's powers as well and destroy Alex Whiter and the people who have defended him with his newfound omnipotence. The other heroes forced him to the roof, giving Alex enough time to accept the Elemental Overlord's powers and confront Joe Dark on his own. But the boy's determination to deliver what he believed to be justice allowed him to keep trudging on through everything thrown at him, and one by one the heroes fell unconscious before his ever increasing might. Even with the power of the Genesis Samurais infused within him, Alex Whiter could not handle the Dark King himself when he took over Joe Dark's body."_

"_However, the boy's conviction still proved to be more vile and powerful than the Dark King could ever hope to contain, and his spirit was subdued with absolute ease, leaving Joe Dark in a form that one could easily say was the epitome of darkness incarnate. It was only with the desires and dreams of the entire planet that Alex Whiter was able to rise again and achieve his ultimate form, entering combat with Joe Dark for the final time above the skies of the Origin Temple as the planet below was bombarded with the destructive influences the Dark King left behind."_

"_It wasn't long though until the truth about Joe Dark's vengeful desires emerged. His parents were slaughtered by an unknown assassin alongside everyone else in his entire family, and he blamed Whiter for the fact that the F.B.I. focused more on him than they did on bringing the murderer to justice. It was then that Alex remembered what the Chief had said, and that Joe Dark was wronged by the very same man who casually admitted his desire to kill Whiter's parents to get him under his thrall. However, while he could sympathize with Joe Dark for his loss, he did not approve of the extremes that he was going through to kill people completely unrelated to that loss."_

"_Enraged that Whiter did not understand, and that everything in the universe seemed to be conspiring to stop what he believed to be his righteous justice, Joe Dark began to charge up an attack that would destroy Plit and everyone on it. Alex had no choice at that point. He didn't want to kill Joe Dark, especially since he saw so many eerie similarities to himself in him, but now that the Dark King was devoid of all reason there was no way to talk him out of his enraged stupor. Using the full power of the spirit infused within his body, Alex Whiter used the 'Blazing Overlord Fist' to not only destroy Joe Dark's body, but to also incinerate the Dark King's spirit and destroy the Origin Temple as well."_

"_After E. Gadd made a glove that contained the raging flames of the 'Blazing Overlord Fist' into Alex's right hand, the boy had to deal with a conflict of agendas. He wanted to go back to Earth and use his newfound powers to kill the Chief of the F.B.I. to avenge not only Joe Dark's family, but to get revenge for the time he was tortured as well. However, if he were to do that, then he would end up having to fight against the entire world as well. He couldn't just leave the Earth the way things were now though, but at the same time he wanted to stay on Plit in case any remnants of the Dark King's army chose to make their presence known. Plus, he wanted to be with the friends he had made across this journey."_

"_That's when the Elemental Overlord gave him a solution. As Alex Whiter returned to Earth through the Stargadd, the Overlord's spirit revealed that as the new Overlord Alex would be able to create full, sentient clones of himself. This clone would have whatever features Alex wished for him to have, but even though he would have the Elemental forms and the Phoenix Form, he wouldn't be able to perform the 'Blazing Overlord Fist' or carry within him the spirits of the Genesis Samurais, Inner Guardians and the original Elemental Overlord. So once he returned home, the boy began to work on his clone…"_

"_The first thing he did was make it so his memories would be altered so it would be as if Joe Dark and the torture he endured in the F.B.I.'s base had never occurred in his life. This was to devoid the clone of any trauma and buried rage so he could live a truly peaceful life without ever worrying about revenge. He also changed his appearance so the F.B.I. Chief would be incapable of identifying him, making it so the clone would also choose their own name upon their full appearance in the material plain. Alex did everything he could to make sure that his clone would never suffer through the burdens he had to carry, and once the body had materialized he left back to Plit without a trace…"_

The Chronicler ended his tale, revealing the truth that I had just realized in my heart. I was Alex Whiter's clone, given my own memories, personality and name…But as I raised my right hand into the air in front of my face, I did not see it as my own, but just a mere copy of the original's. "So I'm just a replica of the real deal…All those memories, everything I thought I had done to gain my powers, none of its real…This body was created because of Alex Whiter's hard work, not because I was birthed from my 'mother's' womb…I'm nothing." As I continued to give my hand an empty, somber glare, the Chronicler groaned and said in an annoyed tone of voice "Please tell me you are joking…"

"Huh?" I lifted my head up while responding in a depressed tone of voice, where the Chronicler then brandished his left pointer finger out at me through the sleeve of his robe. "I didn't tell you all that just so you could start angsting about your existence. Why do you think I went through all the trouble of explaining in excruciating detail as to why you are the way you are? It doesn't matter that you are Alex Whiter's clone. He went through great, mental lengths to make sure that you would not have to remember the same pain he had kept buried deep down in his heart. He didn't create you to continue a legacy or continue a futile cycle of violence and vengeance, but to be your own person and live a life that he would never have had the chance to live so long as the Chief existed."

"Your memories may have been altered, but that doesn't mean that you haven't and can't still make new, wonderful, joyous memories that are yours and yours alone. You have the freedom to be your own person, you were given the chance to deliver happiness in a world that is unaware of its own sufferings, and you should consider yourself lucky to have friends that were concerned enough about the truth of your identity that they were willing to keep that hidden just so they could get to know you for who you really are. Your body may share similarities to Alex Whiter's, but your mind, soul, choices and life are yours and yours alone, and the only one who can pull the trigger that kills the joy you experience from that freedom is you, Mewmaster."

"This is your life, your story, your history…And no one can write the epilogue but you. So what is it going to be, young Overlord?" Slowly but surely I moved my hand away from my face as the Chronicler continued to prove with every word that my fevered concerns were useless in the face of the truth. I AM me, forever and always. That's who I am, that's what I've always believed deep down, and being a clone doesn't mean that I should be so easily overcome with angst. I tightly clasp my hand into the shape of a fist, rising firmly and proudly until I glared out into the horizon with brimming confidence. "Stand tall…Stand up…Stand strong…"

I almost felt like crying as I said those words, but whether it was from the sand blowing underneath my visor and into my eyes or it was because I felt a bundle of optimism welling up inside me was something I was unable to figure out. "That's the spirit, young Overlord…" The Chronicler said, his voice growing tired as he leaned forward and looked ready to collapse on the sandy floor. Out of surprise and concern for his condition, I quickly reacted and thrust my right arm outward to prepare and dive to catch him, but he merely caught himself and held his left hand out to assure me that he was alright.

"Are you ok?" I swiftly ask in a concerned tone of voice. "Sorry…It seems as though that abomination did more damage to me than I had originally thought…" Even though he was speaking of the grievous harm that Mr. Reality's creatures had done to him, the Chronicler took it all in stride and grinned through the shroud of his robe. I didn't bother to offer my assistance, since we already had this conversation before. However, even with everything that has transpired here in our conversation, I now had one pressing question on my mind. "Chronicler…If Alex Whiter returned to Plit, then what exactly happened to him?" By the time I had asked that question though and blinked just once, the Chronicler was gone once more, leaving me to stare blankly into the distance, alone yet again in the midst of the 'Midnight Channel'-infused Plit.

But, it wasn't so bad this time around. I felt confident, renewed like never before, and ready to tackle everything else that Mr. Reality wished to send my way. I've probably stated that enough times honestly, but this would truly be the last time I would have to repeat myself. "My name is Mewmaster…" I reminded myself of what my name was, the thing I created for myself all on my own without Alex's influence telling me to choose otherwise. "I'm the Elemental Overlord…" That's my title, and I carried it as my own even if there existed another who goes by it. "I am the real me, that's all I need to be." With a rhyme to end off everything else, I nodded my head happily and turned back around.

Through the sandstorm I saw an outline calling out to me from beyond the shroud of grains. I walked towards it, and it didn't take long for me to realize that I was staring into the mouth of a cave, which is surrounded by a circular ring of blackened rocks that rests against the side of a sandy hill. I could see the top of a ladder sticking out from the bottom of the lip. The sandstorm began to fade out, leaving me a clear view of the landscape between where I stood and where I wished to go. But I could feel a disruption in the ground, a slight tremor that moved from one part of the desert to another, edging closer below my feet until it bulged the sand below my feet and made me rise slightly into the air.

I kept my balance, pulling my gun out of my holster and extending the rifle's barrel with a click of the trigger as my scanners detected a life form moving through the ground. It stopped in front of the cave, raising itself through the many grains of sand and parting everything around him nice and slowly. The first thing I see is a small tree topped with a single orange, which will prove to be the smallest part of the creature's body as the bulk of their form pushes aside the layers of sand next. It is a giant brown stone creature with a perfectly curved body, its limbs as thing as twigs even though they both have to support his massive, boulder-like fists. The feet below his belly are shaped like ovals and spread out to the farthest sides of his body. Its black eyes with plus-shaped white pupils are suspended above its mouth, which is open wide with its squared teeth hiding the grayish surfaces behind it.

I recognized the creature as Trunkle, a beast the Mario Bros. bested during their trip to the Beanbean Kingdom. Fitting that it would be the guardian of yet another desert area, and its superior defensive stats made it the perfect creature to guard the entrance to the Terra Cave. I could only wonder though if the Trunkle was responsible for the earthquakes we had felt earlier, but considering how calm the ones he created were I quickly discarded that notion and figured that whatever was going on in the inner guardian chamber was responsible for the tremors. I took my weapon and pointed it at the creature as it opens it jaw wide and roared at me, rippling the sounds with the air from its breath while I cocked my rifle and prepared for battle. \

**The Sapling Grown from the Tremors: Earthshaker Trunkle**

I fired a test shot, hitting the Trunkle straight in the belly with a small electrical bolt to see how it would react. It didn't even flinch as the tip of the bolt collided with the rocky surface and fizzled away into nothing. "Figures…" I dully noted as I pulled my weapon and leaped to the left to dodge a boulder that the creature rolled at me by disconnecting one of its fists from its arm. Once the fist regrows Trunkle leaps into the air with surprising ease considering its girth, flipping itself once to propel itself forward with its weight until it is right above me, letting gravity take hold and plummeting towards me at great speeds.

With a mental command though, I activate the boosters on the soles of my feet and slant them so I fly backwards away from the shadow of his massive body. The creature slams into the floor with enough force to impact the ground and cause the sand to rise up high as a giant, circular wall that pushes itself around in all directions, widening its expanse at the cost of its height with each passing second. In fact, it was moving faster than I was, and unless I did something I would be buried under the sand in this bulky armor and either suffocate or be crushed in the next blow. I holstered my weapon after retracting the barrel, thrusting my right arm in front of my face and bracing it by the elbow with my left hand.

Electricity surged through my arm until it reached the gauntlet, and with just a simple pull back a cylindrical blast of lightning thrusts itself past the armored knuckles. It pierces the sand wall with its intense heat, turning it to glass instantly. I pulled my arms down to the side of my body and shut off the boosters as I leaped into the air and moved my body until I was horizontal in the air, moving my legs backwards before thrusting them outright and kicking right into the front of the grass, shattering it all into many pieces that are dragged into the remainder of the wall or they fall into the sand below my flying body.

Some of the grains pitter against my armor before slipping off, and I keep my mouth shut so none of them enter through there. While in mid-air, I snap my right fingers and create a rectangle plate of electricity that I attach my feet to magnetically. With it I swerved my entire body upward in an arch via the plate, bending my head forward as far as I can to see what Trunkle is doing at this moment until my feet are on the ground once more and I can remove the plate from them. The mineral menace throws another boulder at me while I'm stuck in place, but I brace myself for impact by raising my arms in front of my face and kneeling against the ground.

The boulder collides with my armor, shattering instantly but still causing my body to rumble in this stance as my visor gets static-y for three seconds from the damage I took. "Shoot, armor levels at 87%…That shot took a hefty chunk out of this baby…" I stand back up and cock my right arm at the creature. If I could hit him with a blast from the gauntlet it should actually deal some massive damage. But the moment the electricity begins to surge Trunkle widens his eyes and leaps into the air once more. This time around though I follow him with my gaze and raise my arm, firing just as he reaches the peak before his flip. My shot fires, singing the bottom of his body at the very last second.

I had to get out of the way though, and I didn't want to repeat the same process I did before to avoid the sand shockwave. However, I wanted to leave a gift for my opponent before I took off. With a simple command a compartment opens on the left side of my hip, and out rolls a sphere made of wool that I flip out in front of my left hand casually with my fingers. I then leaped back and kicked my feet against the floor upon contact, firing my boosters and launching myself into the air the very moment Trunkle collides with the sand. I rise above the top of the shockwave and notice that Trunkle managed to plant himself on top of the wool ball I planted beforehand.

He was especially vulnerable underneath thanks to my previous attack, so I decided to crack open the defense by snapping my fingers to cause the wool grenade to react, surging wildly with electricity that courses through Trunkle's body briefly before it all corrodes and detonates in a large electrical explosion that cracks apart the bottom of the mineral menace and launches him high into the air. He spins around, and I focus entirely on the crack that I had created while reeling my right fist back behind me. When he is not only in range but his body is in the proper position, I thrust my punch out like lightning, striking hard into the crack and releasing so much electrical energy that the high voltage detonation launches Trunkle into the ground in the span of a second.

As a massive pillar of sand erupts into the air, I looked past the shroud the grains create and watched as Trunkle suddenly split apart into four smaller versions of itself in a puff of smoke, each one burying itself into the sand until the lumps sink in completely. I was able to keep a lock on them with my life scanner, but then they started speeding through underground at a pace that I was unable to keep track of. They zipped back and forth, obviously in an attempt to confuse me. And it was working too, since I wasn't certain if I was watching all four of the Trunkle clones or if one had slipped away and I was watching the other three take its place currently.

The seismograph on the left side of my visor was rising with each passing second, the plates being continuously disrupted by the Trunkles rampant movements. Even so, I could tell from the shifting of the sands that the quakes were not as intense as the one that struck the Mushroom Kingdom. Be as that may, I still had to stop the Trunkles before they caused irreversible damage to the area's environment. I pulled out my rifle from my holster and drew out the barrel from the rest of the gun, aiming it at the ground and carving out their movements once more in my head so I can predict where they will be by the time my shot reaches them.

However, I hear a quiet rumbling behind me, the ruffling of sand going into my ears as I pause in place and lower my weapon slightly below my face and begin to turn around. Only then am I hit in the back with the full weight of a mini-Trunkle's mid-air charge, which causes my visor to go on the fritz for a much longer period of time than before as I feel my body being pressed against the wind as it moves closer to the ground with each passing second. I collide with the sand face first, but I closed my mouth just in the nick of time to avoid inhaling a ton of it in. The weight of the Trunkle was pressing the armor against my back. Thankfully, this fragment was definitely not as heavy as its larger self, so I was not in danger of being submerged under the sands.

The Trunkle got off of me, but only so another of its selves could dig out of the sand and uppercut me into the air. I go flying, my body spinning around multiple times as I see the sand bursting on both sides of me. I look forward, and as the Trunkle that hit me begins to fall I look into his open mouth and see within it a single fruit. I remember right off the bat that the fruit signifies which one is the real deal, so as I try to gain control of my actions I hold my left hand out and from the gauntlet I fire a miniature tracking beacon into the Trunkle's mouth. Once it slips past the square teeth two more Trunkles come out of the ground and wrap their bodies around both of my arms, weighing me down the very moment my body lays horizontally on the air and dragging me to the ground once more, this time on my back.

After landing on the ground, the Trunkle I marked saw the perfect opportunity to finish me off in one attack now that my head was laid vulnerable against the sand. It leaps into the air, prepared to finish me off with its massive girth. However, while I still had motor functions in my right hand and my weapon was still in its grasp, I was never going to go down. I wiggled my fingers, trying to turn the rifle so the barrel was pointed at the Trunkle. I had ten seconds to fire, but even with the strict time limit I calmly moved my fingers towards the trigger and closed my eyelids to indulge in the absolute focus the blindness would let me have.

I pulled the trigger, sensing the electricity pulsating through the barrel until it shoots out in the form of a concentrated, superheated bullet that zips across the air in straight line and pierces right through the center of the Trunkle's mouth. The shot is so powerful that it causes the copies to vanish, as evidenced by the weightlessness I feel in my arms once more. I open my eyelids and see that the single Trunkle that remains is still falling towards me even though it has a big hole burning through the back of its body. It appears to be alive, a feat that I found to be quite surprising all things considered. It didn't decrease the threat it posed to me, and I quickly got on my feet after spinning myself a few feet to the right to avoid being crushed.

As I get up though, the Trunkle increases back to its normal size, and the tree grows back on top of its head. The hole on its back was healed as well, though I do believe the damage did stick considering how limp his arms looked. "Weakpoint determined, locking on…" My armor said into my ear, and my visor immediately gained a reticule that locked onto the tree that spawned on Trunkle's head. I knew what type of defense the tree had, but with one piercing bolt that would all amount to naught. "Armor is at 52%…And I don't really care…" I cocked my rifle at the beast as it turned to me and roared straight into my face and pounded both of its fist into the ground to cause a brief tremor to try and knock me off my feet.

I stayed firmed and matched the reticule up with the red glowing dot where the Trunkle's weakness was it. I knew Mr. Reality was watching this battle, so I had a message for him before I dealt the final blow. "Hey Mr. Reality…" I began to charge the barrel of my rifle with electricity while it was gripped in one hand and I curled my lips into a cool, confident grin. "My name is Mewmaster. I am the Elemental Overlord, I am the real me and that's all I ever need to be. I won't lose to your game, and once I'm done with the temples…" I pulled the trigger, and a quick bang is followed up by an even quicker electric bullet shooting straight through the trunk of the tree on Trunkle's head. With the plant blown off, the creature's eyes go blank and it swiftly falls on its back, crumbling into pieces even though the ground was ridiculously soft. With my smoking barrel pointed in the air I finish my boast with my eyelids closed and a coy grin on my face "Well, that's pretty much what I'm gonna do to you…" With a shrug of the shoulders to end it off, I let my actions speak for themselves as I retracted the barrel and holstered my weapon.

I turned back towards the cave now that the battle had been finished. I will admit that I did get a bit lucky. There were some organic elements to the Trunkle that I was able to exploit with my powers, but the upcoming battle with Geno won't be so kind to me. But I was ready to face him with all I got. I discarded any further detrimental notions about my identity, keeping to the philosophy that I had created for myself as I walked towards the cave entrance with a confident, relaxed grin on my face. I was thankful to the Chronicler for talking to me, and I would carry those thanks with me for the rest of this journey. With nothing else to think about at the moment, I jumped down past the ladder, using my boosters to slowly descend into the depths of the Terra Cave…

_Next Time: Nothing Without Powe_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: The Battle for Geno's Existence**

My descent into the deep, dark, damp cavern is quick and painless, helped greatly by the boosters attached to my feet. I shut them off, checking my armor's power levels on the visor the moment I land. "53%…Good." I murmured the number and with a thought I happily shut off the text and symbols that were abundant across the visor. That's the great thing about an armor made out of hardened electricity. After a period of inactivity the armor begins to actively fuel the wiring under the protective plates, which works to repair any damage done to me over a steady yet extended period of time. I'd just have to be careful not to harm myself until I reached the inner sanctum, otherwise I would be fighting Geno with a handicap.

"Better turn on my night vision…" I tap the side of my helmet, a pale-green glow filling my visor and allowing me to see through the confines of the cavern with ease. There was a tunnel that led deep into the temple, as expected. "Ok, so he probably didn't change things here…" Of course, I don't know if one should really call this cavern and tunnel part of the temple. Its more like an extended entrance if anything. Still, had to keep my guard up as I began to make me way through the tunnel. The only noise besides that coming from my foot touching the ground came from bits of water pattering against puddles on the ground. They each fell down at the same intervals, and I will honestly admit it started to get annoying by the time I reached the halfway point of the tunnel.

Still, I really couldn't speed myself up, or I'd likely run straight into a trap. I wondered how I was going to be challenged this time around, especially since Mr. Reality said he was going to change the puzzles he originally had planned in the temple. "Come on Mew, stay focused, you'll be able to get through this easily." I reassured myself of that fact as I neared the end of the tunnel. I was greeted by the luminous flames radiating off of a few torches, and arrive inside of a circular, citadel-like room. There are four doors spread around, three of which were sealed off with iron gates while another was covered by a rainbow aura shield.

The ceiling in the room was held up by seven perfectly carved pillars, whose appearance looked as sleek as the gates nearby. I instinctively take a look at the ground, noticing a runic symbols spread around in a large circle and that there are eight holes with a stone in pretty much each and every one of them, each one representing a different element from grass to fire. There are other lines carved into the ground that lead the colored lights radiating from the stones towards a hole in the center, where a glowing, pearly orb is being bombarded from all sides by the lights. "The puzzle is completed? That's strange, so why isn't the magic door dispelled?"

I kneeled down and looked at the circle, lifting my head up after noting its completed state. Actually, come to think about it…"Didn't the light from the pearly orb destroy the other seven stones before?" As I recalled back to those events, I found that I was correct in my assumption. "So why are they back now?" Whatever the reason, it was obvious they had a connection to the door, but I would have to work to figure out how to deal with the puzzle. "Lets look at this from above…" I stood up, bending my head forward to look down at the circle. "Ok, lets see here, what do the spheres all have in common…Besides being elements, of course."

After my sarcastic thought I leaned the backside of my right hand against my chin, resting my left arm against my body while humming to myself in deep thought. "Hmm…I obviously have to get the white light to enter the seven other holes, but that would require destroying the stones first. It can't be as simple as blowing them up or crushing them one at a time, I know that. Maybe it has to do with what order I collected the elemental stones?" I decided to test my theory, kneeling down once more and moving my right hand out towards the green stone. I picked it up out of the hole it was trapped in with relative ease, and watched as the green energy died out and turned the stone into a normal, grainy looking rock.

I could sense something wrong with the object in my grasp though, and as I focused at it for a few moments the lights from the circle brightened, splashing around in various directions until the beams turn away from the pearly stone and fire straight at me. With the many lasers bombarding my armor at random points I accidentally let go of the green stone, which crashed onto the ground and breaks apart into dust instantaneously. At that point the lasers swerve back to their original positions, leaving my armor smoking thanks to the energy burning into it. My helmet lets out a wild beeping noise, a red box flashing the words "CRITICAL! CRITICAL! ARMOR AT 50%!" I had taken a lot of damage, having lost a third of my then current armor capacity.

"Guess I can only afford one more mistake then…Though really, I shouldn't have to go that far. Let me think here, if it isn't based on order, then what could it be?" After the smoke had settled down I stood back up all the way and moved closer to the circle once more. I analyzed the stones, noticing that the green one had returned to its proper position in the span of time it took me to get back. "Hmm…Well, how are the elements all connected to one another? Simple!" I snapped my fingers as I quickly came up with the answer to my own question, making certain not to create a spark with that snap as I edged closer to the circle and kneeled down to it once more.

"Each element works to create a balance in the grand scheme of the universe, but at the same time if an element were to go rogue there is always something that is capable of beating it." I looked at the circle again, noticing that the orb representing 'Ice' was in a straight line between the pearly orb and the rainbow door. I snapped my fingers, realizing brilliantly that I had divulged the answer to the problem. "Of course, when light shines through prismatic glass it creates a rainbow. So logically, the same thing happens when light shines through ice! But…" That still left the question about what order I was supposed to remove the stones from the circle.

I had to make it so Ice was the last one remaining, and that the first orb I remove represents an element that can counter Ice. So I went in a backwards order. Ice can be countered by Earth, Lightning, and Fire. So going by Earth as the starting point, it would be in an order of "EarthGrassFireWaterLightning Wind…" Ice doesn't counter wind though, so that order didn't work, so after shaking my head I started at Fire. "FireWaterLightningWindEarthG rass…" Ice does indeed counter Grass, but there was something that was making me doubt that Fire was the first element I had to remove from the equation.

Call it a gut feeling if you would really, and considering the fact that I DIDN'T want to suffer anymore damage from here on out it was wise for me to listen to what my body was telling me and try thinking about the final element that counters Ice. "LightningWindEarthGrassFireW aterIce…" And it loops back around all over again. I snapped my fingers and realized just why Lightning is the first stone that should be removed. Both elements are capable of brightening an area to a ridiculous degree. Fire can do that, but sometimes not without harming the area around it. This solution makes sense too, considering I am in a cave which requires light to navigate through. "Boy, I hope that my certainty in this answer doesn't come back to bite me later…"

I reached for the yellow stone, pulling it out of its indent the same way I did the green one earlier. I closed my eyelids slightly out of instinct, expecting a backlash from the energy once more. I braced myself for a few seconds, but to my surprise my armor remained untouched and the stone disintegrated in my hands after losing its unearthly glow. I then picked up each stone in the sequence I lined out in my head, taking each one in the grasp of my alternating hands until all that remained was the one that represented Ice. At that point the pearly orb, freed from the restraint of the other six orbs, focuses all of its pure white energy towards the icy orb, pushing back the pale-blue energy that had been pulsating through the lane towards it until it wraps itself around the orb itself.

Carrying it into the air with nothing more than a whim, the pearly orb releases a massive excess of energy through the empty indents, briefly blinding me as it crashes against the edges and flies into the air in the form of a holy, wave-like cascade. When I open my eyes and my vision returns, the icy orb has risen so it is now level with the center of the rainbow barrier. The light is focused through the reflective surface, emerging from the other side in the form of a thin seven-ray rainbow beam that is just wide enough to connect fully with the door's width. It starts from the top of the door, moving downward like a scanner and burning away the seal bit by bit until it reaches the very bottom, at which point the icy sphere merely shatters without any precedence to this event, and the light mysteriously fades to nothingness until the orb that created it collapses upon itself.

It was a nice spectacle to watch as I kept myself kneeled on the ground for the entire period of which it unfolded, but when it was done I got on my feet and continued through the new door that had been opened for me. I knew what was coming up next, a massive drop that led to the room where the altar I needed was. It was the most familiar room for me not only in this temple, but throughout the entire journey I remembered as well. Well, I guess it was really hard to describe those memories now that I knew the truth. Heh, Alex Whiter went through those events instead of me, after all. If there is one thing I knew for certain though, it was that Alex truly did establish his bravery and determination during that crisis, and that was carried over to me when he cloned me.

I was really grateful for that in the end, since not only was that one of my more positive and relatable traits, but also the very reason that I've been able to trudge through every temple and battle, fighting against all the odds stacked against me as I move closer to the end goal. "Lets see what is in store for me this time around…" I pulled out my rifle and cocked the extended barrel over my shoulder. I eventually reached the edge of the stony walkway, which had collapsed under the combined weight of us heroes a long time ago. I had to be careful not to fall off the edge prematurely, since the ground grew steadily unstable as I leaned my weight forward.

"Nothing to do but leap in and descend…" I noted to myself with a shrug of the shoulders. Within seconds, I had leaped off the edge and my body began to fall downward, the entire weight of my armor pulled by the force of gravity as I could feel an air current rising past the lip of my visor and delivering a nice cool draft into my face. I couldn't descend too quickly though, or my bones would press against my muscles the moment I landed and thrust an uncontrollable amount of pain through my nervous system. So with a mere thought I activated the boosters on my feet. Bursts of hot air thrust out through the many holes, sparking into flames at a moment notice as the draft devolved into a light breeze.

However, a warning message appeared on my visor the moment I tried to sink into the tranquility of my descent. "ERROR! MALFUNCTION DETECTED IN THE BOOSTERS! EXIT THE AIR IMMEDIATELY!" That was foreboding to say the last, and it was a message I should've reacted to sooner. But alas, I did not, and as my boosters shut off I began to descend rapidly towards the bottom of the chasm once more. This was a grave situation, and not one that was easily rectified by repairs. If anything, it was easy to guess that this malfunction was all Mr. Reality's doing, just to add another challenge before I reached the end of the temple. In this form I was limited to only using my armor for flight, so I couldn't just use my own body's abilities to escape this situation.

An impact with the ground at this height, combined with the weight of my armor, would surely kill me. It would be a crappy way to go to say the least, but instead of wasting time worrying about that I looked around me for something I could use to save myself with. I couldn't grab any of the spikes considering the palm of my hand probably had the same impact as a one-ton boulder at this velocity. "Hmm…Lets think here." I said to myself, clearing my head of any other thoughts as I closed my eyelids and played a few scenarios out in my head. "I just need something to cushion the fall…Lessen the damage if you would…" Murmuring that quietly, I thrust my eyelids open with a spark of inspiration gleaming in the pupils and quickly aimed my rifle downward.

I charged up energy in the barrel, watching as the gauge on my visor slowly rose higher and higher with each passing second, getting closer to the maximum level it can reach as I noticed that the ground was only a ten second fall away from my body. "No time, have to shoot now!" I pressed the trigger, a massive beam of electricity bursting through the relatively small barrel with such force that it is any wonder that my arms weren't torn asunder by its existence. I gripped as hard as I could around my weapon as the beam struck the ground and pressed against it. This force counteracted gravity, slowing me down bit by bit until I was very close to the bottom of the chasm, at which point I had nothing to worry about anyways.

I let go of the trigger, letting the beam fizzle out so I could land in the center of the singed ring in the ground that my attack had created. "Whew…That was a close one." There was a bit of sarcasm in my relieved remark as I swiped my left hand across the part of my visor that is in front of my forehead. I kept my gun out, since I was nearing my destination and would soon be engaging Geno's Shadow in a battle. Would I be fighting a monstrosity like I did with Gemini, or just him in his normal appearance? Come to think about it, with everything else I've dealt with so far I hadn't really thought about how I'm going to deal with him.

Whatever form I face Geno's Shadow in, he'll definitely be embodying the Earth element. If I went by the logic of the series where the "Shadows" originated from…Well, actually, there never was an Earth element there. "Crap…" I thought to myself upon realizing that I wouldn't be able to go about that line of thinking. "Well what if I went by the Pokemon element chart?" In that case, my Lightning and Wind forms would be weak to Geno's Shadow, while my Water and Grass forms would have the best chance of dealing damage to it. Still, my current form has armor-piercing attacks, which is a great way to deal with the Earth element's high defenses.

I'll deal with it when the time comes, I know I will, but I do feel slightly more confident after standing around and thinking about things a little longer. I ran through the nearby tunnel, making my way into the final room of the temple in a matter of seconds. This expansive domain has walls littered with marble tiles, and giant torches near the top keep the room alit. In the very center of the room is an altar made entirely out of amber. Two concrete pillars lie off to the side of it. Finally, the ground is paved with rocks of the Sedimentary, Igneous, and Mineral families. But none of these sights grabbed my eye as much as what was going at the altar.

On his knees in front of it was a wooden, human-like doll who wore a blue cape and hat, the first article of clothing been kept on via a thin golden rope and the second one having a curled up piece of red paper. His four-fingered left fist is pressed against the ground, his right one held against his chest as he stares up at the being floating ominously on top of the altar. Bathed in a pale black aura is his "Shadow", who is twice the size of his physical body but without any of the emotion you would find in his demeanor. The "Shadow" truly looked like a marionette the way it was now, and as it gazed down at the real Geno with its blank, piercing yellow eyes it began to speak.

"Why do you resist the truth? Your irrational refutation baffles me to no end…" The Shadow's voice is deep and monotone, a big contrast to Geno's own calm and emotion filled voice. "Why…Shouldn't I resist your so-called 'truth'?" Geno responds, his voice carrying the tiredness of his own body. "Because I know you more than anyone else, I am you more than you are yourself. Deep down, you wish to rebel against the beings that are above you, because they are all encumbering, preventing you from being anything but a patsy under their control. But what you don't realize is that you are nothing, an existence without anything, a being without a purpose besides those cast upon you by others."

"And you are one to talk?" Geno calmly refutes the "Shadow's" words, using all of his energy to get on his feet and folding his arms in front of his chest to contrast the way his "Shadow" has his behind his back. "I heard what that alien has been doing, bringing out the other heroes' true selves to combat the Elemental Overlord. But he reached a dead end with me. I've always been true to myself, I have nothing to hide, not now, not ever. You only exist because he needed you to, you have no purpose in this world otherwise." "Is that so?" The Shadow stayed calm, only because that's the only thing it could do.

"You are nothing but a star inhabiting a black void you call a body, kept in there to give you the tantalizing illusion of freedom. Without it, you have no freedom, no existence, and nothing but the chains of your superiors tethering you to the physical-" "That's quite enough, you sharp-tongued Shadow." Geno interrupts his Shadow, surprising him and bringing him to silence instantly. "You can toss out your assumptions and judgments, digging deeper into my psyche under the belief that you'll find some sort of 'truth' to use against me. But I have nothing to hide, my true self is as visible as the clothes on my body. On the other hand, I have a few choice words to use against you. You are the only one who is truly a puppet here, and the moment that alien sees no further use for you you shall exist no longer. Meanwhile, even after my body withers away from its continuous use, my starry form shall continue to exist until there is nothing left. I don't care whether I'm being used or not, so long as I'm happy with what I'm doing to benefit the world, than that's all that matters. Face it Shadow, this is one instance where you simply aren't me no matter how you cut it."

The Shadow's eyes actually widen in angered surprise, as the black fog with the red speckles starts to rise around its body. "I see…Perhaps you are right about the fact that I'm not your true self. But know this…I still have a purpose, and that shall be fulfilled with the erasure of the Overlord's tripe existence!" The black fog spreads out wildly, covering the whole room in a matter of seconds while brushing Geno away through the air before he escapes the view of my eyes. It doesn't take long for the fog to disperse, instead replaced with an overwhelming pressure coming from the wall directly in front of me.

I lifted my head up and placed the reticule on my visor directly at the center of the monstrosity plastered to the wall by hundreds of rusted nails. Geno's Shadow had grown massive in size, its limbs having becoming detached from its body with strings hanging out from each of the hundreds of splinters spread across them. His clothes have been removed, replaced with chains that holds him against the wall. His head has been split in half, the left side flipped upside-down with the eye near the right side's mouth and vice versa. The eyes are motionless, but it felt intimidating knowing that each one was just as big as I was tall. Were it not for its bonds, the Shadow would fall and crush me and Geno with ease. With nothing left to say, I aim my weapon at the creature and watch as the same distortion from before.

**I'll Face Myself -Reincarnation-: **** watch?v=N0KGRjTIa7I**

**A Puppet With No Other Use: "Shadow" Geno**

The battlefield is exactly the same as before, only my body has been moved to the top of the altar, where I look straight up at the Shadow with my rifle cocked over my right shoulder. "I…Am a Shadow…The true self…" It said. "What meaning is there to both of our existences? What are we but shadows reflected off of those who have achieved greater glory in the eyes of the world…" The question was directed towards the both of us. "I know what I am. I'm me, but there really is no point in trying to figure out what you are…You'll be snuffed out eventually anyways." I replied coldly, to which the Shadow scoffs and proceeds to say "That is true, as it also is true that all lives will eventually meet the same cataclysmic end whether they wish for it to occur or not." "However, I am not going to let my existence be extinguished just because it furthers your immediate goal, Overlord. Only by terminating you and my physical body shall I find a satisfactory finale to my otherwise meaningless subsistence." "Well sorry to say, that's not going to happen." I responded bluntly. "That is for us both to decide, Overlord, not just you…"

"Shadow" Geno's HP: 3500/3500

Mewmaster's HP/SP: 600/300

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form - "Water Sage"

I switch forms, but because I'm at full health already I don't waste my HP heal.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Banish Serpent" (SP Cost: 35, SP: 265)

Elemental Form

I kneeled down and lash my trident against the ground, creating a puddle that I use as a focus point as I pull my body up and draw a long, squiggling serpent of water from within. When I pull the trident away in full force, the beast flies high into the sky, cutting itself off from the puddle with a tail before it arches its body towards "Shadow" Geno and dive bombs it with the velocity of a bat descending after its prey. It strikes the creature, exploding in a burst of water that all splatters against the ground. (DMG: 289 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 3,211)

The doll doesn't change its pose, but I can tell that it was dazed thanks to its pale yellow aura. I then proceed with a follow-up attack, only this time I have to leap into the air to harm the Shadow. (All-Out Attack DMG: 211, HP: 3,000)

"Shadow" Geno uses "Geno Boost", causing a red circle to surround the bottom of his massive body before it briefly flashes a pillar of energy around him. There is a burst of light followed by a sharp ripping sound in the air. ("Geno Boost" Buffed: Attack, Defense, Agility. Effective: Infinity)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Neptune's Torrent" (SP Cost: 55, SP: 210)

Elemental Form

I raise my arms above my head, swishing the hands in the air so they cross together. Immediately after this motion is performed two blades of water arch through the air, impaling themselves into the stomach of Geno's giant wooden body. As the trails gush about, they extend down towards the ground, puncturing through the ground to create a pseudo-arch. I then take my trident and fling it out into the center point of the body between both streams, causing it to spin around like a drill so it continuously drags in the streams of water to create a gigantic spiral torrent of water that pierces through Geno's body rampantly until it breaks through to the other side. After moving through the battlefield, the weapon returns to my hand and the streams die down. (DMG: 214 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 2,786)

For some reason though, despite being weak to my attack, "Shadow" Geno was able to brace himself and didn't become vulnerable to a follow-up attack. Most likely because of "Geno Boost"

"Shadow" Geno used "Geno Beam". The right hand rises up against the strain of the nails and spreads it fingers outward. A cannon compartment opens up in the center of the palm, from it coming a massive burst of star energy concentrated into the form of a beam. It blasts me from all sides, the cascade going on for a total of ten seconds before it ends and leaves a cloud of sparkles across the air for two seconds. (DMG: 147, HP: 453)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Banish Serpent" (SP Cost: 35, SP: 175)

Elemental Form

I kneeled down and lash my trident against the ground, creating a puddle that I use as a focus point as I pull my body up and draw a long, squiggling serpent of water from within. When I pull the trident away in full force, the beast flies high into the sky, cutting itself off from the puddle with a tail before it arches its body towards "Shadow" Geno and dive bombs it with the velocity of a bat descending after its prey. It strikes the creature, exploding in a burst of water that all splatters against the ground. (DMG: 227 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 2,559)

"Shadow" Geno blinked once and looked down at me. "I see you are resisting…You are truly determined to stay alive…But that determination will prove to be nothing but futile in the end…I will see to it that its snuffed out along with the essence of your soul."

"Shadow" Geno casts "Geno Whirl". The eyes on its head spin around rapidly as energy swirls together in front of the doll's chest. It glows brightly with a rainbow aura, jagged edges extended out of the circular disc until the entire form resembles a saw blade, at which point it is launched diagonally across the air at me. It slices right through the center of my body, a sharp pain ringing through my nervous system as I'm forced onto my knees with my teeth gritted to avoid releasing a blood-curling scream. (DMG: 452, HP: 1)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form - Jungle Whipper

With my form changed, my HP is restored to maximum.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Rosebud Cannon" (SP Cost: 17, SP: 158)

Elemental Form

I raised my left hand into the air, rose petal spawning from mid-air and swirling around my arm as if a gentle breeze was carrying them until the moment they start to stack against the skin on my hand, becoming a fully bloomed rose that glows brightly in the center. Within seconds a puffy shot of energy is launched out at the "Shadow". It bursts upon impact, sending an array of pollen that fades out in a matter of seconds. (DMG: 257 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 2,302)

"Shadow" Geno uses "Geno Beam" The right hand rises up against the strain of the nails and spreads it fingers outward. A cannon compartment opens up in the center of the palm, from it coming a massive burst of star energy concentrated into the form of a beam. It blasts me from all sides, the cascade going on for a total of ten seconds before it ends and leaves a cloud of sparkles across the air for two seconds. (DMG: 168, HP: 432)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Rosebud Cannon" (SP Cost: 17, SP: 141)

Elemental Form

I repeat the attack I performed last turn at a much faster pace, using it again simply because it is cost effective when it comes to my SP. (DMG: 257 *Weakness Critical*, HP: 2,045)

"Shadow" Geno used "Geno Flash". A black void formed in front of the "Shadow's" body, drawing forth a massive , dark-purple cannon from within that was already fully charged with a glowing red-yellow light within. The whole arena shook from the pressure exuding from the energy, and I could hear the very air being torn to shreds as the bullet was fired its way at me. It collided, exploding in a circular burst of energy that grew three spikes that spun around in a matter of seconds until it fully faded away. (DMG: 145, HP: 287)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Take Root" (SP Cost: 27, SP: 114)

Elemental Form

From my feet emerge roots that dig into the ground and start to feed me nutrients…Even though I'm standing on top of amber, oddly enough. This gives me a constant HP regen effect for five turns. (HP Regen: 55, HP: 342)

"Shadow" Geno used "Geno Beam". The right hand rises up against the strain of the nails and spreads it fingers outward. A cannon compartment opens up in the center of the palm, from it coming a massive burst of star energy concentrated into the form of a beam. It blasts me from all sides, the cascade going on for a total of ten seconds before it ends and leaves a cloud of sparkles across the air for two seconds. (DMG: 154, HP: 188)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Vine Drill" (SP Cost: 34, SP: 80)

Elemental Form

I take vines from out of the ground and wrap them around my arm multiple tips, constricting them until they create a drilled tip at the front. The drill is twice as long as my arm but four times as thick, though I am able to keep it up as if it were as light as a feather. I leap into the air, charging straight at the "Shadow's" face and striking it with the full rotating force of my creation, sparks flying out continuous until my drill explodes upon puncturing the creature's thick skin. The blast knocks me backwards, but I merely flip and land gracefully on my feet. (DMG: 457 *Weakness Critical, Defense Ignored*, HP: 1,588) (HP Regen: 55, HP: 243)

"You think your victory has been sealed? This mere resistance will never amount to anything more than a tripe attempt at self-survival…." The "Shadow" says coldly to me. He then casts "Geno Blast". The sky rips open with light covered tears, as hundreds of pillars of light rain down endlessly around me. Many of them collide with my body though, randomly dealing differing amounts of damage that gets weaker with each hit. (DMG: 35+27+25+21+18+16+12= 154, HP: 89)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Vine Drill" (SP Cost: 34, SP: 46)

Elemental Form

I take vines from out of the ground and wrap them around my arm multiple tips, constricting them until they create a drilled tip at the front. The drill is twice as long as my arm but four times as thick, though I am able to keep it up as if it were as light as a feather. I leap into the air, charging straight at the "Shadow's" face and striking it with the full rotating force of my creation, sparks flying out continuous until my drill explodes upon puncturing the creature's thick skin. The blast knocks me backwards, but I merely flip and land gracefully on my feet. (DMG: 784 *Weakness Critical, Desperation Attack Activated, Defense Ignored*, HP: 804) (HP Regen: 55, HP: 144)

"I…Impossible…This much damage in one blow…Is that determination of yours…Truly the source of your strength?" The "Shadow" appeared dumbfounded, as his eyes started to boggle around and the limbs became limp from weakness. He then cast "Geno Whirl". The eyes on its head spin around rapidly as energy swirls together in front of the doll's chest. It glows brightly with a rainbow aura, jagged edges extended out of the circular disc until the entire form resembles a saw blade, at which point it is launched diagonally across the air at me. It slices right through the center of my body, a sharp pain ringing through my nervous system as I'm forced onto my knees with my teeth gritted to avoid releasing a blood-curling scream. (DMG: 143, HP: 1)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form - "Wind Reaper"

I change forms and regain all of my health.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Fog Veil" (SP Cost: 5, SP: 41)

Elemental Form

I shroud myself in a veil of fog, increasing my evasion greatly for three turns.

"Shadow" Geno uses "Geno Beam". After the usual light show, I manage to dodge the attack.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form

I rush at my opponent in mid-air and deliver a powerful arch slash with my scythe. (DMG: 97, HP: 707) ("Fog Veil" Two Turns Left)

"Shadow" Geno braces himself, sparking with a strange energy.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form

I perform another attack with my scythe, this time following up with two precision blows across the chest in the same swing. (DMG: 186 *Damage Critical*, HP: 521)

"Shadow" Geno cast "Geno Boost EX". A golden-rainbow streams of aura surrounds his body, pumping his stats up massively. (Attack Raised Immensely, Defense Raised Immensely, Agility Raised Immensely. Effect: Infinite Turns)

The increase in speed allows the "Shadow" to have another turn before mine. It casts "Geno Beam", hitting me with the usual beam attack. (DMG: 281, HP: 319).

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form

I perform yet another attack with my scythe, doing the extra damage follow-up that comes from performing a critical. (DMG: 105 *Damage Critical*, HP: 416)

"Holy hell that really didn't do much damage…" I thought to myself as "Shadow" Geno once again casts "Geno Beam". (DMG: 304, HP: 15)

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill

Elemental Form - "Lightning Sniper"

With my HP restored I look up at the beast. I had been saving my SP for this last attack, wearing down his health so this would do enough damage to finish the "Shadow" off for good.

Analysis

Tactics

Guard

Attack

Skill - "Searing Raiden Bullet" (SP Cost: 41, SP: 0)

Elemental Form

I grasp my rifle in both hands, holding it downward like a sword with my eyelids closed and my focus entirely put into the weapon. I drain tons of voltage from my armor into the gun, streams of electricity pulsating to reveal my actions. I had to spent this turn charging though before I could unleash my attack.

"Shadow" Geno used "Geno Whirl". The eyes on its head spin around rapidly as energy swirls together in front of the doll's chest. It glows brightly with a rainbow aura, jagged edges extended out of the circular disc until the entire form resembles a saw blade, at which point it is launched diagonally across the air at me. It slices right through the center of my body, a sharp pain ringing through my nervous system. But I stay calm through the pain, not even flinching as my armor's sirens start to blare wildly. (DMG: 599, HP: 1)

I thrust my eyelids open, burning his intense determination as I raised my weapon into the air with it still gripped in both hands, only to rip them away in matter of seconds, breaking my connection with the weapon as it spins around wildly. With my arms spread out I watch as my weapon rises into the sky and draws in storm clouds from nowhere. It is only with the loud clap of my hands that thunder erupts from the air, and the lightning in the clouds drags my rifle into its grasp. I then use all of the remaining reserves in my armor to charge my right fist with electricity. Leaping out at the "Shadow", I snap my fingers, commanding the lightning to pull the trigger on my rifle after it has been repositioned at my enemy. The bullet fires, piercing right through the clouds with its size now as big as my own body. I pull my fist back, my limb dodging my own attack before thrusting itself outward to quickly strike the back of the bullet as it passes by. All of my energy is discharged into the projectile, increasing its size tenfold and boosting its speed to unimaginable lengths. The ensuing puncture and discharge across the "Shadow's" body happens so quickly that it wasn't hard to believe that it never happened at all. (DMG: 999, HP: 0)

All that happens is that "Shadow" Geno's eyelids shut tightly, his head leaning forward with a limp in his neck region.

**Result:**

**EXP: 2000**

**Money: 300 Coins**

**Item: None**

Once more the battlefield returns to normal, only with "Shadow" Geno back to its normal appearance, except his body is now lying flat on the ground. He creaks his head upward, looking at the cracked armor on my body and raising his right hand into the air in saddened disbelief. "To think that I would lose…But, I understand why now…I do not regret this…" With his emotionless eyes contrasting his weak tone of grief, the "Shadow" finishes his sentence as his body disintegrates "But please…Before this journey of yours ends…Please make certain that no one else is created without a purpose…By that man…." His body fades out of existence then and there, but I leave him one reassuring nod before that.

Now all that there was left to do was restored the temple. Seeing as my rifle was out of power and really wasn't capable of breaking anything by itself, I retracted the barrel and holstered it. I stepped back across the amber platform, raising my fist as I noticed a crack in it. I slammed it straight down, breaking through the barrier that kept the light-brown energy within. After the usual pattern has occurred, I'm once again back in my normal form, the room's vibrancy restored much to my delight. I turned around and noticed that Geno was trying his hardest to get his body back on its legs. I began to walk towards him, when suddenly the unexpected happened.

A massive tremor shook the room to its core, since now that everything was back to normal this room had to collapse with its original purpose now served. I hadn't even gotten off of the altar when it transpired, and with one foot in the air I was quickly caught off balance and flung to the ground, where the sharp edge of a rock thrusts itself into my left knee. It moves past the bone, digging deep into my nerves and delivering an unimaginable degree of pain the likes of which I had never felt before in my life. This time I couldn't hold back the tears that poured out of my ducts, and I let out a pain-drenched screech that was only beaten out in volume by the disturbances in the room's structure.

This was the worst possible time for this to happen, especially after I had pushed myself to get to this point. Even if I pulled my leg out of the rock, I wouldn't be able to get over to Geno and fly us out of here in time now. He was still lying down, unable to even raise his head to respond to my cries. The tiles on the ceiling began to collapse, falling around our bodies one by one. The Chronicler wasn't going to save us, he was probably unaware of these events unfolding. "I guess…This is…It…" I didn't want to say those words, but I had to face the harsh cold reality set before me. It is just a shame that after I made a vow to the "Shadow" to stop Mr. Reality this would happen.

Worst of all, I would never get a chance to apologize to my friends for my rude behavior. They would go the rest of their life never knowing how sorry I felt for what I had done. That's not even getting into the consequences of my failure on the world as a whole. I began to close my eyelids, watching as a few glowing sparkles fall down from above only to be drowned by the dust raised from the shattering of the marble tiles. I could've sworn I saw a circle of light expanding outward from the centerpoint between me and Geno, but I merely wrote it and the voices in my head as reassuring hallucinations as I collapsed unconscious…

_Next Time: ?_


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: To Another Life**

"_What is this place?" My question echoes in unison with the ticking of a clock. "Is this the afterlife?" I make another inquiry as I see nothing but pitch black darkness in front of me. It took me a few moments to realize that my eyelids were shut, but it took me a while to open them due to how sudden my awakening was. My body was floating, feeling lifeless amidst a spiritual plain. The air was thin, and I could breathe it inward with ease. My immediate thought was "No, this can't be it…" And I tried to move to get my line of sight away from the distorted black and blue sky above. I was frozen in place though, unable to move even an inch._

"_Do not despair, you are still alive…" A bright light is flushed through the area, radiating off of a gigantic, glowing white orb that appears majestically above me. It spoke to me in a wise, elderly tone of voice. There was a certain familiarity to this orb's existence, but I just couldn't put my finger on it as to who or what it might be. "Who…Are you?" I asked in hopes of an answer. "I am the origin, the beginning of the legacy of which you were chosen to succeed, child. I am the one who controls the balance of light, the purging of darkness, the embodiment of all things that keep the world in check. I am the original Elemental Overlord."_

_My eyes widened, pupils dripping with awe as a cold sweat trickles down the left side of my face. "T-The Elemental Overlord?" All I could wonder as I stuttered his name was "Why?" Why was he appearing to me now of all times. I had a lot of questions to ask him, but I could tell just by staring that the spirit knew everything I was thinking. "You are merely unconscious, waiting for your rejuvenation to go through…I realize my presence is sudden, but I had to come to give you a message. With the acceptance of your identity, you have taken a major step forward in averting the events that had transpired once before. Now you are just missing two other keys necessary to unlock the doorway to tomorrow, and if you continue down the road the same way as it was traversed before, you will receive them as needed."_

"_Wait, two keys? Event that have transpired before? Are you saying that something similar to this journey of mine once happened to you while you were alive?" As I calmly try to grasp the situation and divulge some of the details mentioned in the Overlord's riddle, the spirit orb goes silent. "…I cannot say anymore. I should consider myself lucky that I was even able to slip a bit of my subconscious into you, but if I go any further then I risk everything being unraveled. For now, just awaken and hear what your saviors have to say…" The Overlord's last words trail out as he retreats into the distance and my vision grows blurry. _

I suddenly regain focus, only this time I can feel my eyelids creaking open while I realized that my arms and legs were laid out against the ground, my hands hanging off the side of a rounded edge. The first thing I noticed after that was the fact that there was no pain coming from my kneecap. I peeked my head upward, the stitching of my pant leg repaired with no traces of blood present in the place where I got impaled. "How the heck?" My body suddenly felt warm and I tilted my head in confusion, and I widened my eyes briefly as I heard the jingling of bells in the air along with some chimes ringing quietly in my ears.

I quickly raised my body up, finding myself sitting on top of an altar where water poured out from the sides below the circular, star ensignia'd platform. I was in a sanctuary, but not just any old sanctuary mind you. Above pedestals that radiated with the glory of the midnight stars, amidst the brightness whose purity rivaled that of any other were seven celestial beings whose forms were made comprehensible due to their star-shaped bodies. Each one had a specific feature that showed off their distinctive traits, and I chose to avoid describing them merely because it would take a while to do so. They were the Star Spirits, and they watched over the people of Plit, guarding the dreams and desires and granting their wishes with the help of the Star Rod, a sacred object of unimaginable power.

I could tell from their stares that they recognized me, but whether it was because of an experience before or after Alex created me was something I did not feel like asking. After a few seconds of keeping my mouth agape, I remembered everything that happened before I fainted in the Terra Cave. "Geno!" I blurted out the name of my friend in panic, hoping that he managed to survive the ordeal and would make his presence known soon. "What is it Mew?" His voice called to me, and after rushing onto my feet I turn around to follow the sound. Standing at the bottom of the steps with his arms folded confidently in front of his chest was Geno, his body having been cleansed of any mutilation and given a new sheen the likes of which I had never seen on it before.

I whispered "Thank god…" before I sighed, hanging my head down slightly with a breath of relief following that afterwards. I composed myself though, looking up with a fluster in my cheeks and an innocent grin on my face. "Sorry, I was just-" "No need to worry about it young Overlord." Geno interrupted me calmly, raising his head and smiling at me as well as the limitations on his body allow him to. To be able to even convey emotions in such a wooden body is a gift the Star Spirits provided to their herald, and I'm certain that he is thankful to them for that. "I thank you for beating my…Well, 'Shadow', and I'm glad that I was able to quickly return the favor."

The comment caught me by surprise, since I had assumed that the Star Spirits had saved us all on their own. "Wait, so you mean to tell me that you told them to rescue us?" I asked just for the sake of direct confirmation. "That is correct." The answer did not come from Geno, but from the eldest of the Star Spirits, a bushy white mustached yellow star with the appropriate name of Eldstar. He floated behind me, waiting for me to turn around and acknowledge him with my surprised glare. "Your liberation of the Terra Cave returned our consciousness and restored Star Haven to its former glory. After that, Geno contacted us telepathically and told us to call you both back to Star Haven before the temple collapsed."

As expected from one of his wisdom, Eldstar gave a quick and reasonable explanation to how we were saved. I nodded my head and thanked him and the other Star Spirits for their assistance, gazing over my shoulder so Geno knows that my thanks extend to him as well. But then I flinched, quickly looking back at Eldstar as another question popped into my head. "What happened to my leg exactly?" "I healed it up by using a fraction of my powers." A feminine voice called to me from the left, and I turned my head to look at the only pink star of the group, whose extended eyelashes matched the golden, silky ribbon wrapped around her arms. Her name was Misstar, and she winked at me innocently as a way to show that she was glad to help.

"Anyways…" Eldstar coughed to grab my attention, which was stuck on Misstar for a period of time that was obviously longer than necessary. I snapped out of it and turned to the elderly star, who had his eyelids creased in annoyance with a vein slightly protruding from the top point of his body. "Now that you are here, we need to talk about something…Well rather, a few things to be exact." After Eldstar had calmed down, someone else took up where he left off, this Star Spirit having his eyelids closed and an overall calm demeanor on his brown, mustached face. Fittingly, his name was Kalmar. "We've been alerted of everything that has transpired on the ground since the alien known as Mr. Reality appeared, and now we wish to ask you something…"

"With only two temples left to restore, do you have any idea as to what you can do about Mr. Reality's powers?" Eldstar inquires. But the answer was the same as it always was. No progress has been made, and with the subject being brought up once more I was beginning to worry that no solution would ever be discovered. I shook my head, refusing to go into major detail since it wouldn't prove fruitful. "Wait…" I realized something important and murmured to myself with my eyelids slightly creaked. "Why don't you guys use the Star Rod? Isn't the power of wishes like reality bending?"

"…Though what you say is true, we are forbidden from doing anything." Eldstar responds with a regretful sounding tone. "Huh? Why?" I blurt out each word in rapid succession, but a response comes from Geno, not the Star Spirits. "A year ago, when your original, Alex Whiter, fought Joe Dark, the Star Spirits intervened twice in mortal affairs, once to give the seven of us heroes a fraction of their power to stall Joe Dark, and another time to used the excess energy built up in the Star Rod to restore Alex to full health so he could stop Joe Dark before he destroyed the planet. This angered the higher-ups, and a probation was put on their powers. I was then placed in charge of the planet's affairs, though admittedly this matter will be absolved in about nine months if I'm not mistaken."

"Well we don't exactly have that long to wait, do we now?" I say bluntly, gesturing to the doll with my body turned and my right hand extended outward. "No we don't." Geno says in agreement. "Is there something else you need to ask me?" I decided to try and change the subject, especially since this conversation wasn't getting anywhere. "Actually…No. But if you have any questions, now would be a good time to get them out of the way." I guess Eldstar didn't really have "A few things to discuss" like he said he did. Whatever, doesn't really matter. "First off, I want to ask…Geno just called Alex Whiter 'the original', so does that mean you guys know about the fact that I'm a clone?"

The Star Spirits all nod their heads in unison, and I proceed to fold my arms in front of my chest and give those words a bit of thought before I continued talking. "How?" I grinned brightly and held a few of my fingers against the bottom of my lips after bluntly saying just that one word. "After all, I thought you guys could only observe Plit. Earth isn't part of your domain." "…I guess we can't keep a lid on this one." Eldstar reluctantly admits. "Mew." Geno calls to me to once again get my attention, and I turn around to face him while resting my arms against my hips. "Its rather simple really. The higher-ups told us about your creation, explaining in layman's terms that 'Your existence would one day prove fruitful for the planet'. That's the thing about higher beings, they give details that are so vague you don't realize what they are referring to until the very moment it occurs."

"Boy, you got that right." I think to myself while rolling my eyes and calling back to the things the original Overlord's spirit said while I was unconscious. "I guess that's an adequate enough explanation…Sounds like those higher-ups are in league with the Chronicler, since they both are claiming that I'm going to be the one to save this planet as it is now." My comment leaves the room in silence, and if any of the Star Spirits had arms they would be scratching the tip of their bodies to further emphasize the confusion on their expressions. "Who?" Eldstar finally asked.

"You…You guys don't know who the Chronicler is?" Suspicion was the first thing that came to mind after my bewildered, stuttered question. "No, no we do not." I thought that perhaps they were having a lapse of memory, or maybe Mr. Reality did something that made them forget after his discovery. In hopes of jogging their memories somehow, I told them everything I knew about the Chronicler from beginning to end. But the end result was the same, and the Star Spirits still shook their head, the being remaining unknown to them. However, Geno interjects after I sigh in disappointment, offering an explanation that may answer just why they don't know about the Chronicler.

"Just because there are a bunch of higher beings in the world doesn't mean that they are all collaborating with each other, nor does it mean that we are all aware of each other's existence. For example…We are aware of the higher-ups because they made their presence known to us, the Elemental Overlord because of his envoy bringing me to the Star Spirits as a peace offering, and the Master and Crazy Hands due to the events that dragged Mario and a few other people out of this world. HOWEVER, we didn't know anything about Tabuu until he actively interfered in this planet's affairs. What I'm getting at here is that the Chronicler probably makes his presence scarce on the mortal plain, and is only showing himself to you because its relevant to the disruption of his duties."

"I guess that makes sense." I said in full agreement of Geno's statement. "Either way, the good thing is that he is on our side in the end, right?" Everyone nodded their head simultaneously. We then stood and floated still for a few seconds, waiting for one of us to say something else to continue the conversation. But I guess the topics have run dry by now, which is rather surprising to me all things considered. "So…Are we done here?" I asked. "Yes. Now, without further ado, we shall teleport you back to the Mario Bros. house so you can rest up for tomorrow…" The Star Spirits raised their hands into the air, but before they used their magic I blurted out a quick "NO!", thrust my right hand out urgently to stop them.

I wasn't ready to go back to see the others, not now anyways…After all, I hadn't come up with a decent enough way of apologizing to all of them, and I didn't want the entire thing to be awkward because of it. When I finally go and say sorry to them, I want it to be said with a genuine sense of confidence. "I-I'm sorry…I'm just not ready yet…However, I do have a request to make to you Geno…" After apologizing to the Star Spirits for my sudden outburst, I looked down at the wooden doll, as he looked up at me with subdued curiosity in his eyes. I began to walk down the steps, moving so I'm beside Geno without his gaze turning to follow me. I lower my head and whisper to him "If it is possible for you to get a message out to the others, let them know that I'm alright and that they will see me again someday…"

With a nod of the head to show that he will honor my request, I pass Geno fully and continue on my way through the Sanctuary's exit. Outside there is a miniature, sparkling pond, the water flowing gently off the side for a few feet before it mysteriously vanishes. I take a look at it, then gaze up into the bright, starry sky. "Everyone will get to see this again…I just have to take care of the last two temples." Speaking of those actually, I began to think about what I was going to do next. I felt like my strength was restored in full, but should I really set out and tackle another temple this soon? I did it with Nature Castle and Aqua Palace, but that's because they were both early ones and thus rather easy. Each inner guardian was getting tougher and tougher as I went along, and I knew Alpha's "Shadow" was going to provide the hardest challenge for me considering his wide array of weapons.

Heck, "Shadow" Geno nearly killed me the way things were going. "Then again…" I murmured to myself and folded my arms in front of my chest. The biggest problem with Alpha comes from his ionic beam, which can burn through pretty much everyone and everything with little difficulty. However, I'm going to be in my Earth form for the battle, which means if necessary I should be able to conjure up a wall made out of something strong enough to hold the beams off. Perhaps going in right now wouldn't be the best idea. I felt as though I needed some prep time against someone like Alpha's "Shadow", but at the same time there was a part of me that felt confident about going to the Frozen Palace now.

"Having a bit of trouble there, child?" I lifted my head up, snapped out of my train of thought by the words of a familiar voice. The Master stood before me on the glowing walkway, his arms folded in front of his chest as usual. I had actually almost forgotten that the Master had a connection to the Star Spirits, but to see him up in Star Haven so suddenly like this was surprising yet at the same time rather foreboding. "Umm…Not really…Wait, what are you doing here?" I first answer his question, almost forgetting about my own inquiry until I snap back into that thought with ease. "Why wouldn't I be here now that Star Haven has been restored? Hahaha…"

The laugh was obviously forced, and the Master closed his eyelids and leaned his head down silently. His skin looked a bit pale compared to the last time I saw him, and through his nostrils his breathing was slow and heavy. He then composes himself, standing firm on the ground as he moves his arms into his sleeves once more and opens his eyelids to look at me. "I came here to talk to you." He says. "Oh! That's right, I got a new element and you probably have a lesson to teach-" "No, that's not it at all…I don't need to waste anymore of your time with such tripe lessons…" The Master's voice grew hoarse, becoming more befitting to his elderly demeanor with each further sentence he spoke. "Why do you say that?"

"Simply put, you are more perceptive than I had imagined you to be, especially considering your age…Anything I could teach you I feel you will learn at a much faster pace as you dedicate yourself to your training…And I can only imagine the excitement you'll experience as you discover each new thing will just motivate you to continue forward, learning more and more until you are just as wise as the former Overlord was…But anyways, that's not what I came here to say…" The Master roughly coughed after his sentence had ended, pressing his right fist against his mouth until it stopped. I didn't like this, I didn't like seeing him act this way at all simply because I knew what it was leading up to. My heart beat began to slow, and I felt some stress in my head as my pupils shrunk and a cold chill crept down my spine.

"I…I just wanted to say thank you…" The Master mustered up the strength necessary to say those seven words sincerely without pause, closing his eyelids again as his head began to lean forward and he looked ready to collapse at a moment's notice. "I know that you've learned about the truth about your existence, so now its time you knew another truth…The person who I wanted to teach before, the child I wanted to make my apprentice but failed due to a brief lapse of judgment…Was Alex Whiter…And that's why I want to thank you. You allowed me to teach you, even if it was for a little bit, you accepted my advice, even though you didn't need to….In a way, it was if I owed up for my past mistake, it was as if I apologized to Alex himself through his successor…"

"I will admit though…Perhaps I shouldn't have kept the truth from you about your identity, but you have grown to learn just why that was a necessary lie, haven't you? …Heh, the guilt and shame I wore on me over the last year was heavy enough to keep me tethered to this world even though my time was drawing closer, but now that the weight has been lifted…Its time for me…To…" The Master suddenly stops talking, his body collapsing onto the ground face first in what feels like an eternity of seconds. I wasted no time in running over to him, each step carrying the weight of the sadness welling up inside of me as tears began to form in my eyes.

I kneeled down beside him, lifting his small, limping body off of the ground and turning it around gently so I could look straight into his lifeless face. I tried to fight back the tears, but that was a foolish and impossible notion. Before I could cry, I had to press my left cheek against his chest to see if there was a heartbeat. I heard nothing, and as the skin of my forehead made contact with his chin I felt his temperature declining rapidly. His body's functions had ceased, and it wouldn't be long until rigamortis set in and cause the wrinkled flesh to decay. I pressed my face against his chest, sobbing in a muffled tone of voice for a prolonged period of time to mourn the Master's sudden death.

We may not have known each other for long, but he was the first person there for me when I had arrived in this world that, unbeknownst at the time, I had never actually visited before. He didn't act awkwardly around me even though he had every right to considering the memories of failure that it must've brought up to see someone similar to his…Fallen…I lifted my head up slightly, remembering many things at once about what the Master had brought up about Alex, specifically that Driad had disliked him because he believed that it was because of his mistake that he was…Dead. That last word ringed in my head for a few seconds. I had wanted to know what happened to Alex Whiter after learning that he had returned, but I had never imagined that the answer would've come in such a way, nor that the revelation would be as unpleasant as this was.

"Alex Whiter…Is dead?" With a broken tone of voice I said that in the form of a question for reasons I couldn't explain. Amidst the silence that followed a familiar voice called to me _"Look up, young Mew…"_ I did so after a moment of hesitation, and floating in the air with a holy white glow coming off of a similar luminescent glow was the Master…Or rather, his spirit. He looked rejuvenated, his spiritual body having the same life to it that it did before his death. "M-Master?" I stuttered in surprise, my heart nearly skipping a beat as I looked at him in utter awe. "B-But you…" "Died? That I did…But I had a few more things left to say, so I was given a few minutes to project my spirit down here to speak with you."

"First off…Yes, Alex Whiter is dead, but in what sense of the word is something you'll have to discover on your own…Second, I wish for you to not mourn for me from this point on…" The Master's spirits holds his left hand out, and after surrounding his body with a spiritual aura it turns to ashes instantaneously and it disperses into the winds, leaving my hands extended with nothing in them. "I do thank you for showing sadness even though our time together was short, but my death was a natural thing, and it was for the best that I died with a fulfilling life to look back on. I've done good, and have been allowed into Heaven for my deeds…I will get to see my family again, holding their hands with a warm embrace as we walk into the bountiful gardens of the afterlife together…That happiness of ours will be eternal, and its only because we did the right things…"

"Do not take my words as a sign of me being a braggart…I am merely giving you hints about what awaits those who travel the right path like you and I have…Even as we grow old, we are merely babies so long as we stay in our mortal shells…It is only when we depart in our spirits bright and strong do we enter our true lifetime…" The Master takes a moment to pause and reflect once more on his mortal life. "Mew…The planet needs a hero…Nay, the universe as a whole needs one who is selfless, determined, brave and strong…Keeping growing stronger in both body, mind and spirit, and when the day finally comes for you to depart this mortal existence, make sure you look back proudly at your achievements with a smile as bright as the stars in the sky…For now though, I bid you…Farewell…" The Master's image grows dimmer with each passing second, and at the crescendo of his message he vanishes completely, leaving behind an insightful poem that echoes in my ears.

"_I was born into this world, young and foolish_

_My parents raised me to be strong, that was their wish_

_The fires that took them, they made me ruminate_

_I became insightful, sparing me from a similar fate…"_

"_I traveled the world, always remembering what was lost_

_I was driven to help, making sure no one else would suffer such a cost_

_And now as I rise into the heavens, high and afar_

_Gaze into the night sky, I'll be looking down upon you as a glowing star…"_

I looked up into the sky, notice a twinkling light that was not there when I had looked up before. It shone brightly, the luminosity decreasing after an extended period of time. I stood up, wiping my arm across my eyes to dry off any of the remaining tears. The last act of sentimentality was a light sniffle while I smiled and look up into the sky, my watery eyes glistening against the bright lights that numbered it. "I will respect your last wishes Master…But know that I will never forget you." I said to him as my final words towards him. I then looked away from the sky and towards the side of Star Haven, leaping into the air and flying off to my next destination without hesitation. "Fear, death and betrayal…I've seen them all throughout this journey. Well from here on out, none of that's going to happen…Watch out Mr. Reality! Its time for me to finish your game once and for all!"

_Next Time: The Hero's Chosen Deat_


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Alex Whiter, the Truth of his Death**

The air high up in the sky carried the chill of the icy mountains my way with a simple draft, so I knew that I was getting closer to my destination as I continued to skim the top of the clouds with my body. The sky was completely purified of the 'Midnight Channel's" influence, so even when I would arrive above my destination I would not be shifted into my next form until I descend. "Time for the next temple…" I swing my right arm and draw my sword, using my fingers to pull the brown trigger to cause a layer of mud to wrap itself around my body as I release my flight and let gravity drag me through the clouds. I can feel the mud hardening from dehydration, crumbling off as I reach the bottom of the cloud in a matter of seconds and leaving me in my next form.

My shirt has been taken off and wrapped around my waist, while my jeans have become somewhat tattered with dirt resting against my kneecaps. There are streaks of mud scattered across my body, and in the grasp of my right hand is a bulky hammer, rather plain in its appearance. The updraft presses against my hair and face as I rapidly descend through a layer or two of fog and see a staircase leading up to a large, icy palace whose entrance is surrounded entirely by creatures frozen in blocks of ice and a veil of fog that covers the rest of the building's appearance from my view.

Considering the fact that the Chronicler will likely be waiting for me, I decided to head to the bottom of the stairs first, swerving my body to the left to follow up on that notion. As I neared the end of the crystal tiled staircase that rested off to the left of the large staircase that led to the Crystal Palace, my ears began popping from the sudden shift in elevation. It was annoying, but not enough to give it anymore attention than an arching of my eyebrows and a roll of my eyes. I swing my body around, hanging my hammer over my right shoulder thanks to momentum and landed on the third step up with relative ease. Though the tiles below my feet were frozen solid and could likely give me frostbite, I decided to avoid that by using my willpower to summon a layer of mud onto the bottom of my bare feet to protect them.

"Hope I don't have to keep these on for very long…" I mumbled to myself as I held my arms together to let out a light shiver while breathing fog through my mouth. "God, I haven't been exposed to such cold in a long time…" And it was easy to see why. Who would really forces themselves to stick around in an environment that inhibits your motor functions while at the same time making it easy for you to succumb to death? Thank heavens there wasn't a blizzard being stirred up, or I'd have to deal with blindness on top of the threat of death if you failed to escape its chilling embrace. Needless to say, while I do like the ice element and know a lot about its strengths and weaknesses, I can't really deny that out of all the elements, only areas based around fire are more of a bitch to deal with than it.

It didn't take long though for another, more unholy chill to appear in the air. It struck the hairs on my neck like a harp, raising them up and down with each passing, deathly breeze. I heard a whisper in the wind, telling me _"I shall claim you…Next time…"_ before the chill suddenly vanishes the moment I turn my body around and swing my hammer at the ready beside me. With a paranoid shift of the eyes I tried to find the source of the ghoulish noise, only to instead be welcomed by a familiar voice from behind. "You don't need to worry, its gone now…" I glanced over my shoulder to see the Chronicler standing a few steps above me, gazing down as the bits of frost are blown against his robe to give it a whitish hue.

"What are you even fighting?" I am quick to ask, believing that he'll now shed some light on the creature even though he had been secretive up until now. "I'm sorry, I still cannot tell you." He calmly states as he folds his arms in front of his chest and looks down at me with a firm glare. "Bah, fine." I turn around, holding no hostility in my voice as I grin and shrug my shoulders. "Anyways, I have another question to ask you, and you left before I was able to ask you it earlier. You see, after the Master died, I figure-" "The Master is dead?" The Chronicler interrupts with a rather surprising yet saddened inquiry. I stopped and looked at him with a suspicious glare, seeing as he really should be up to date on these sorts of things. "Wait, you didn't know about his death?"

The Chronicler paused for a moment, and then flinched and caused his robe to move slightly as he realizes the obvious error in his question. "Umm…Well, there is actually a good explanation for that. You see, its easy to chronicle the achievements and lives of the simple folk, but the higher up you go on the chain of importance to the universe as a whole the harder it is to watch over those type of people. The Master was considered to be rather important because of his duty to help the Elemental Overlord, so it took a lot of effort to keep a tab on him, not to mention the fact that Mr. Reality's interference has made it hard for me to get from place to place without being attacked. Still, thank you for letting me know about that, and I'll make sure to record it in the books once this all blows over…"

After the Chronicler finished his acceptable if rather long-winded explanation, he took a moment to catch his breath before realizing that he had interrupted me just a moment ago, and with a flinch that showed his knowledge of this fact he said to me in an apologetic tone "I'm sorry, you were saying?" After lowering my battle stance and swinging my hammer over my shoulder once more, I pulled myself up after the weight pushed me down and stared up at the Chronicler, asking him in a tone of genuine curiosity "When the Master died, he told me that Alex Whiter is dead. I'm just curious…What happened to him?"

"…So it has finally come to this, has it not?" The Chronicler let out a reluctant sigh, lamenting the fact that I brought this question to his attention as he gazes off to the side and speaks to himself quietly. "To be fair though, this question was going to be answered by the last part of his tale anyways, but only if you accepted your identity as his clone. You have done well to deserve this story, so stand still and open your ears wide, for this shall end the tragedy that is the life of Alex Whiter…"

"_Upon his return to Plit, Alex sunk into a life of stagnating relaxation. He believed that he did not need to train seeing as he already bested the Dark King, the strongest threat to the Elemental Overlord's existence. He mainly stayed around Mario's house, going out only when boredom sank in or if one of his friends asked him to join them on a walk. The original Overlord's spirit was a bit displeased with his inaction, but instead of directly suggesting that his successor go train he chose to be subtle, realizing not how clueless the child was to his plight thanks to his growing arrogance."_

"_Nobody else said anything to him. They just kept to their usual routines while involving the child in them every now and then to try and ease his boredom. But it wasn't lasting, and his lapses of happiness shortened every time. He was making no progress in his life, especially when it came to his goal of stopping the Chief of the F.B.I. once and for all. That motive decayed over time, replaced instead with a desire to find something to alleviate his everlasting boredom. But the world wasn't so apt as to please just one mortal…"_

"_The time eventually came though for a new threat to plague the planet Plit, this time around though it carried a familiar being in its paranormal grasp. The lord of Subspace, Tabuu, had been revived and returned his a vengeful desire to trap parts of different worlds in Subspace to increase his own strength. He also sought to capture the heroes and villains who had defied him before, leaving them trapped in the white void where his Great Maze once existed…The heroes fought against his forces while the child charged into Subspace to combat Tabuu."_

"_But there was an ulterior motive in the boy's actions besides saving the world. He finally found someone who would bring some excitement into his otherwise dull stay on Plit. And provide that, Tabuu eventually did, as the young Alex found himself hard-pressed in battle, especially once Tabuu unleashed his Off-Waves and left him close to death. You think such an error in judgment would've led to the boy realizing how foolish he was by not training, right? No, it did not, but the consequences of that foolish decision shall soon be told…"_

"_It was after incapacitating the young Overlord that Tabuu revealed the truth behind his vendetta, that in a scenario similar to what happened to Joe Dark, Tabuu lost all of his people to the power-crazed Master Hand, the same events turning him into the being he was now and trapping him forever out of view from the mortal plane. The story reminded Alex about what he wanted to do, but also made him sympathize somewhat with the lord of Subspace. However, Tabuu still showed a desire to kill him since that would be the only way to silence the original Overlord's spirit after he failed to save his people so very long ago."_

"_Alex had to mix words together quickly, not only to convince Tabuu to let him carry the burden of defeating the Master Hand, but to also save his own life. Of course, the first reason was just something he decided to lie about simply to save his own pathetic hide. Whatever the case may be, Tabuu decided to agree to it, especially after finding out that someone had manipulated him in order to destroy Plit for good. It took one final battle, but Alex killed the lord of Subspace. However, he felt guilty for using him to ensure his own survival, and made a grave hidden deep within a forest to sincerely honor his memory when he knew no one else would."_

"_It didn't take long after that though for the boredom to sink in again, though now the arrogance increased tenfold after besting two incredibly powerful beings. It is ridiculous looking back on this child's behavior…His mindset simply amounting to 'Who cares about promises and burdens? When I'm as strong as I am, I can take care of them all any time I want to!' Such cockamamie thinking…Then the day came when the Master met the boy and tried to do what no one else was willing to do and tell the child off for his arrogance in a rational manner, only for the boy to storm off, denying the truth he so desperately kept hidden."_

"_The swirling of emotions, from rage to haughty arrogance, blinded him to such a degree that he refused to admit his own shortcomings. The original Overlord's spirit tried to talk to Mario about the problem Alex was having, but was too late as the Axem Rangers X arrived from Smithy's Dimension. They engaged the young Overlord in combat, and though he was completely overwhelming them in his base form he fool heartedly allowed them to fire their most powerful weapon at him, which caused him to get trapped in a sphere made from the 'Anti-Genesis Theorem', a viral strain that renders people like the Elemental Overlord incapable of using all of their powers."_

"_After Gemini dealt with the Axem Rangers, the Red one was brought to Alpha's massive, aerial battleship along with most of the heroes and Alex. Geno was absent, but to this day no one, not even I, know why. The events that transpired after that were all but a blur to the boy, as Gemini and Mallow confronted Smithy, Luigi and Driad confronted Dimentio, and finally Alpha and Mario confronted Cackletta and Fawful, the boy stayed in his sphere, ridden with guilt over the foolish actions he had taken over the last three months. He knew full well that his arrogance had gotten the best of him, he knew he should've taken his training seriously, he knew everything all too well, and now because of his lapse of judgment he was trapped in this sphere while everyone else risked their life to stop the bad guys…"_

"_But the return to his previous mindset of being a hero instead of a brash, arrogant, thrill-seeking warrior was never going to be allowed a chance to be seen by the others. For you see, not long after Alpha and Mario vanished through a portal of darkness, a being of great power emerged from it, bearing a similar appearance to the young Overlord only with a more black and white color scheme. With the sphere's time limit having expired, Alex rushed out and confronted his clone in combat after Bowser took care of the Dark Star that was controlling it. The clone expressed the inane desire to kill everyone in the world both good and bad, declaring that all were impure even when they performed just one sin in their life."_

"_Alex saw reflections of himself in the clone's unholy existence, made even worse by the clone having within him copies of the Genesis Samurais souls who were made to be the embodiment of the Seven Deadly Sins. However, one by one the souls fell, though Cackletta refused to let her puppet die and assumed control long enough to imbue it with the right amount of darkness to rejuvenate his shattered subconscious and transform him into his own, darkness empowered version of the Phoenix Form. However, remembering the strength of his own determination and heart, along with the lessons of kindness that his parents once taught him, Alex triumphed over his clone with a stronger variation of his 'Blazing Overlord Fist'…"_

"_However, while things ended physically, the connection of the two bodies caused the spirits to meet in an area of unison, where the evil clone had been given sentience away from the strings of the vile witch he called his 'mother'. He used his last and only moments of freedom to tear into Alex's flaws, deconstructing the reasons as to why he defeated each and every foe along with his definition of justice. It wasn't until the clone brought up a scenario that the child couldn't solve that his resolve was completely destroyed, all of his values turned against him as he began to believe that perhaps he was wrong about wanting to become the Elemental Overlord. He regretted everything, he knew how foolish he had been, how clueless he was, and how he was a much bigger threat to the planet than anyone else simply by existing…So with fear gripping his tender, innocent mind…Alex Whiter used his own energy to not only slay his counterpart, but to commit suicide as well…"_

"So, how does it feel knowing the tale of Alex Whiter from innocent beginnings to his tragic, self-brought end?" The Chronicler asked, ending the story on that grim note without much care found in his voice. "Honestly…I don't really have much to say about it." I said with an honest, chipper tone in my voice, which caused the being to flinch in surprise. "I beg your pardon?" "Sure, its sad to know that the guy who created me committed suicide, but going by your story, he brought it all upon himself in the first place. He was the one who got arrogant, he was the one who couldn't handle the responsibility HE chose to place upon his shoulders, and he was the one who let himself be influenced by an evil copy whose sole purpose was to mess with his vulnerable traits and use them against him. Its like you said before, I'm me, and he was himself. We are both two entirely different people, and I'm NOT going to make the same mistakes Alex Whiter did during his short lifetime."

I ended my blunt response by glaring at the Chronicler and jabbing my left pointer finger at him briefly the moment I said "NOT" in the last sentence. As the being stood there glaring at me in utter disbelief, I closed my eyelids lightly and let out a hollow sigh "Look…I'm not saying that I'm angry that you told me that story, but from the sounds of things it was like you were expecting me to take pity on Alex Whiter…However, knowing now that all of his problems including his death were self-inflicted doesn't really help his case, even if he was starting to change his ways near the end of his life." "…I see. Though my actions may have had you believing that I was expecting you to respond in pity of the foolish child, in truth I was testing you to see if you would react in a manner more befitting of someone of his nature."

"I guess that's fine, I don't really see the point in you doing that mind you, but you higher beings are always confusing anyways so its not like I'm not used to it." I pointed out. But as the Chronicler laughs I noticed that something was up with his presence once more. It was really starting to feel familiar, as if it was near identical to my own. "Hey…Chronicler…Why do I sense a similar presence to my own around you?" The being immediately stopped laughing and flinched in surprise, as if the question was not one he was expecting. "That's rather sudden…Why do you ask?" He inquired while trying to keep himself composed. "Why do you think? I'm starting to have suspicions that you aren't who you say you are, and this growing presence of yours REALLY isn't helping matters in the slightest."

"Well, if an explanation will dull your suspicions, then I shall provide one…" The being takes his left hand and points it at my hammer. "You know how you've been restoring each of your powers one by one? You see, the object I use to write each and every book is fueled entirely by the elements that reside in the universe. Mr. Reality's actions have currently deprived all worlds of their elements by disabling the Elemental Temples here. By you going into each temple and piercing the energy reserves the Overlord hid within here, not only do you restore a bit of my writing utensil's power, but you also establish a universal link for the elements that will never again be broken by any means. That's why my presence is similar to yours, because we are drawing on the same source for a particular purpose."

"I…Huh, I guess that makes sense." I couldn't really argue the point the Chronicler mentioned. After all, I hadn't even bothered to sit down and think about just what those energy reserves were doing in the temples up until now anyways. "So wait, going by what you are telling me…Say if Mr. Reality hadn't done what he did…If someone somehow destroyed one of the seven elements entirely, then I would just have to have opened the energy reserve and everything would be fine? But because he did what he did, the act of me restoring the specific element also restores parts of this world as well?" "That's a correct assumption. And because you are the Elemental Overlord, by opening the elemental reserves you will never again be stripped of your powers, even if the strongest of beings were to try. However, if you were to make a clone, they would not share that same invulnerability."

"Alright, that makes sense then, thanks." I nodded my head, showing a full understanding of the topic as the Chronicler looks at me with a smile behind his shroud. "So what are you going to do now?" I asked the being, seeing as he had finished his tale. "I shall simply wait for you to restore the final two temples, and then be on my way to perform business as I have done for an eternity beforehand…" "So…This is goodbye then?" I asked, a bit sad to hear that this may be our final meeting. "Don't look glum…We shall meet again, if the winds of destiny are so willing…" As the Chronicler spoke, he raised his glowing left hand into the air, freezing time around him so he could vanish into the air without a semblance of a trace.

Once again I was left alone, with only the chill of the icy mountains keeping me company as I began to trudge up the staircase without much hesitance in my steps. The environment was grey as usual, but at least this time I knew that ice could sometimes appear to be that color so it wasn't TOO off-putting. The climb didn't take too long, even with the girth of the hammer hung over my shoulder weighing me down. At the top of the staircase the wall of frozen creatures still awaited me, but that was not the thing that caused me to go on guard. I heard something rapidly descending from above, its heavy body casting a rounded shadow on the ground as it pressed against the air to create a draft around its form.

Landing on the ground so hard that the ice below its feet splits in a radius of ten feet is a creature shaped like a ball of ice that was twice as tall as my body with feet of green and a pointed mustache made out of permafrost. His eyebrows was composed of a similar material, frozen in the same, angered glare no matter how much time passes. In the center of the six small ice crystal on top of his head is a smooth, round yellow spike. This creature was Chief Chilly, a foe from one of Mario's older ventures that has the honor of being one of the few people to legitimately beat Wario in a one-on-one match.

**The Proud Mustache Wearing Ice Ball: Blizzard Chief Chilly**

Of course, there really is nothing to be worried about if this guy is the outer guardian. He may have high defenses, but he has a big glaring weakness that is quite easy to exploit not just in this environment, but also because of my powers as well. Seeing me as a threat, Chief Chilly charges straight at me. With my eyelids closed, I keep my expression stagnate as I slam my left foot into the ground to break apart the plates underneath the ice, creating a perfectly rectangular platform between my toes and the creature's body that I manage to push into the ground and cause Chief Chilly to be launched through the air above me.

I can only imagine that he spins around and lands on the staircase face first, as I hear the crashing of his body every few seconds as he quickly descends the steps, the sound dying down with each impact until it eventually stops. Yeah, I know that was a bit quick and rather anti-climatic, but I had the means for an early victory and I want to conserve my energy for the real threat lying deep within the temple so my methods have some semblance of sense. Opening my eyelids, I move my foot away from the platform and wait for it to sink back into the ground until I walk across it and head towards the Frozen Palace, whistling a merry tune as I was ready to combat Alpha as he waited for me inside…

_Next Time: Alpha and His Opposit_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Of Weapons and Magic**

The calm air is replaced with a chilling arctic breeze that encompasses the skin on the body and leaves me feeling relaxed as I entered the temple and was greeted immediately by the walls laced with ice plates and light blue bricks alongside the Doric style columns that keep a mosaic style ceiling from falling down against the ground. I let out a light breath, causing a small cloud of fog to emerge through my lips. "You know, why can't an ice temple just for once be warmer on the inside?" I let out an exasperated sigh in response to the temperature. "This is going to prove detrimental to my next battle unless I can adjust to things before then…" I noted with a scoff at the beginning of my sentence before I began to casually walk across the walkway to the next room.

I was now in a hallway, where the temperature didn't feel nearly as chilling on my nerves as it did before, quite possibly because I was farther away from the entrance that was the main source of the wind. There was barely any light to illuminate the area, so I couldn't note any of the details on the walls beside me. Not that it mattered really, I don't feel like wasting time looking at architecture. I entered the next room, which was a maze without an open ceiling. I honestly do admit that were it not for the fact that I'd probably be punished for doing so, I'd summon a boulder and kick it through the walls to get to the other side with ease.

"Man, I just realized how quickly these temples go by when you're all alone and neglect all the unimportant details in the temple, heh…" I said, happily quipping about my situation while I take my hammer over my shoulder and hold it out beside me, since otherwise it would prove difficult to maneuver the corridors of the maze. "Got to wonder what the Overlord was thinking when he made these temples…The only difficulty lies in the battles. The 'puzzles' are pretty piss easy when you get down to it…" By the time I finished my little comment I had already made it halfway through the maze, proving my point with each passing step.

"Then again, I got Alex's memories to help me navigate the familiar locations… With them its just the new stuff that is even marginally difficult." With a smile on my face I confidently reached the end of the maze and continued down the hallway to the room on the other side. Speaking of memories, I specially recall that there was something major I had to remember about the next room. "What was it…" As I pondered to myself about the obstacle I'd have to face, I recalled that there were only four in this entire temple, the entrance, the maze, the next room, and the throne room where the Ice stone once laid.

Its strange…No matter how hard I tried to recall it, all I got was that the next room was the largest of the four. That could mean anything about the dangers I'd have to face in there, really. "Lets think here, maybe I have to-" As I take a step past the exit of the hallway, my foot declines past the normal level of the flooring and the rest of my weight follows suit not long afterwards, causing me to sink downward and land on an icy slope. My body was hurtling towards a gigantic, empty chasm, leaving me little time to react as my heart beat rapidly. I couldn't use my hammer to grind myself to a stop because of two factors, the vulnerability of the ice and the velocity of which I was sliding.

Sure, there was my flight, but who knew if that would even work, especially after what happened with my boosters in the Terra Cave. I focused on the edge of the slide's bottom, dirt and rocky chunks churning in the air like a tornado as they combined together into a solidified platform for me to land on. It was a three foot square, rugged in design yet strongly built enough for me to land on it sitting down with only my feet going slightly off the edge. I lay my hands against the left and right sides of the platform, keeping the tips of my fingers against the side so my hammer doesn't fall off without my consent. I caught my breath while sweating profusely from all parts of my face.

"I guess…That's why…He doesn't remember…That part…" I said with a bit of exhaustion due to how cold it was in the room, realizing that the excitement probably left Alex paralyzed for a bit and thus incapable of recognizing what he fell down. "Well, with that scare out of the way…" I composed myself and stood back up, using my terrakenesis to move my platform through the air so that I can reach the other side of the room with relative ease. I'm rather surprised by the lack of falling icicles, especially since my platform can't move that fast so it would be rather easy to stop me. "Has Mr. Reality given up on the puzzles by now?" I ask, especially since he left this room untouched after restoring all the other destroyed temple sections to their normal state.

In fact, he left the Terra Cave's chasm alone as well save for the booster problem. "I guess he realized the only challenges for me came from the battles, which is a rather smart move on his part come to think about it…" Why waste his time watching me easily do puzzles when I can get right into the action with little difficulty? After thinking about that, I wondered if that should be considered insulting or not. Either way, I got off the platform upon reaching the next hallway, and immediately noticed an incoming feeling of warmth as I raised my hand up and caused the rocks to crumble and fall into the pit.

Not too hot, but not too cold…That was the best way to describe the hallway I was in right now. I turned around and sniffed the warm, almost autumn-like air with a look of contention on my face. I look at the walls, noticing that the ice is melting off and making the bricks look more brown in color. I continue on my way through the hallway, quietly enjoying the environment contrast as I reach the halfway point of the passage, the incline rising with each passing step. "Alright, got to be careful…Alpha's 'Shadow' is probably really sadistic, cold and calculating…" With that comment, I enter the final room of the Frozen Palace.

It is a grand scale throne room with a tattered ruby rug rolled out on the ground that leads to an altar made out of three crystal snowflakes that shone a bright light onto a mosaic painting that depicts man with angelic wings being devoured by a bloody red beast. Sunlight leaks through the windows on the side of the room, their rays shining on the Ionic crystal columns that support the painting above, which in turn also causes the light to be spread throughout the room. The room had a vigorous sense of elegance to it, which felt nice to see after the rather subterranean beauty of the Terra Cave's shrine.

There was no one standing around, in a way reminding me of the first time I went to on this journey. I looked around at the pillars, hoping to sense any sudden movements via vibrations from the ground. Nothing was active in the area, and I didn't even see the shadow of Alpha's body being cast down from the top of the pillars. "Hmm…" I murmured. He had to be hanging around somewhere, and even if I couldn't detect his presence I had no reason to doubt my feelings. Guess the only way to trigger his appearance was to approach the altar…I cautiously moved towards it, keeping my hammer hung over my right shoulder just so I would be ready to swing at a moment's notice.

The only sound I still hear comes from my footsteps pattering against the floor. I make it halfway across the room without any change in activity from both the shadows or the terrain. "Come on Alpha…Where are you…" I glance back and forth, keeping that thought to myself as I continue to get a peg on his location. If only I could detect the murderous vibes that would be coming off of his body, then it would be easy to catch HIM off guard. As it stands now though, he holds the advantage. Everything has been aligned in his favor to get him the first strike against me, and all I can really do is hope that I'll have enough time to defend against it with my weapon.

I'm only a few steps away, and as I take my hammer and hold it horizontally with the rod in the grasp of both hands I hear movements in the air that remind me of the flapping of wings. I quickly turn my whole body around while flipping the direction of my weapon so its held backhanded behind me. The smooth steel of the hammer itself collides with a bulky, metal arm that I briefly see in the midst of my spin, and the person the limb is attached to backflips away with a surface to kick his arm off of before the blow of my hammer can do the job for him at the cost of damage to his arm. As I maintain my balance by stamping the top of my hammer into the ground and kneeling somewhat, I look up as the being descends and lands on the ground.

He is a golden-brown Goomba of above-average height who has two onyx-black, mechanical arms that are too complicated in design to describe. He wears an eye patch over his right eyes that has a band that wraps around his head. He also wears a shiny silver trench coat around his curved body, and has a pair of angelic wings attached to his backside. His right arm has currently been converted so a laser blade is sticking out through a small, energy producing barrel. It doesn't take me long to put two and two together and realize that he was planning on stabbing me through the back while I was assumedly unaware of his presence, but when I caught on he quickly changed tactics and flexed his arm to avoid breaking his weapon. Really, I expected this type of quick thinking from Alpha, but that just made it worse now that I was…

Before I finished that thought I looked at Alpha's body. He was missing the grim aura that all the other "Shadows" had worn thus far, and his eyes lacked the yellow tint that they had as well. He also wasn't saying anything, which was rather curious all things considered. Taking all these facts into consideration, it was obvious that I was fighting that real Alpha and not his "Shadow", but that didn't make sense. Mr. Reality clearly stated he didn't mind control any of the heroes, and their antagonistic behavior stemmed from the 'Midnight Channel's' influence on their true selves. "What's going on here…" Was what I asked myself after spending a while thinking about all that.

Whatever the case may be, I had no time to think about things as Alpha sped across the ground and headed my way with his sword still out. Though my hammer would be effective at damaging his arms, at the speeds he was currently going at I would eventually be caught up in the momentum of my swings and likely get cut in half for my troubles. So for the time being I kept my weapon stamped firmly into the ground, raising my right arm into the air and coating it from the fingertips to my elbow in pure, hard diamond. As Alpha then slashes in an arc I bring my arm down like a sharpened guillotine, moving just fast enough to break the energy off of his sword in half.

This leaves the Commander in a position where the rest of his blade's energy scrapes against my hardened skin, grinding it up bit by bit until the barrel itself is all that's left. However, while I was busy distracting myself with his sword, Alpha raises his left fist above the length of my arm and strikes me square in the jaw with the force of a pounding jackhammer, sending me flying through the air sideways with my eyes widened in surprise until I smash right through the pillar closest to me. Thankfully that breaks my momentum enough that I don't end up going through the nearby wall as well.

With a bit of soreness in my jawbone I lift my head up as my head starts pounding from the impact against the wall. My vision has become relatively blurred due to Alpha's well-timed attack, and as I try to focus on his figure he vanishes from the stop where he once stood. He was using his speed to keep me from perceiving where he was at, but that doesn't mean that I was without a way to counter his next attack. Though I still struggled to maintain vision, I stamped my foot into the ground, causing spiky rocks to shoot up around me in order to trap myself in a cave devoid of all light. However, the thickness of the rocks provided me a momentary guard against another blade slash from Alpha.

Letting out a relieved sigh as I can feel the pain in my head subsiding, I stood still for a moment and felt as Alpha landed on the ground outside of my protection. He was seven feet away, standing firmly in place as silence ominously shrouded the area. That was broken quickly by the light clicking of gears and the whirring of energy that was far too familiar for my liking. I knew what Alpha was about to fire at me now that I was a sitting duck inside of this stony, self-made prison, so I quickly swung my right foot out blindly to break through the closest stone spike, where I then ran through where it once stood even as the rocks crumbled into dust around me. I then curved my movements sharply to the left, skidding across the floor before I dashed out of the way of a massive, pulsating beam of ionic energy.

It's a good thing I moved when I did. Any second later and both of my feet would've been disintegrated, the wounds cauterized by the heat of the beam. Alpha's ionic energy was the most dangerous thing in his arsenal, bar none. It could burn through pretty much everything that got in its way, and its size made certain that any off-guard opponent would barely have the time to dodge once its fired. As I spin myself around, my bare feet burning from the roughness of the floor grinding against the skin, I see the results of Alpha's destructive attack. A huge chunk of the wall has been burned away along with the floor, leaving a scorched chasm in its place and a small cloud of steam rising out from all sides.

"To think that that could've been me…" As I worried about that, I looked towards my weapon and then past the curve of the pillar towards Alpha, noticing that he has been knocked back a few inches from the recoil of his blast. He was a bit stunned as he tried to convert his cannon arm back into a fist, so I chose to take advantage of that. With a brandish of my right arm my hammer pulled itself out of the ground and immediately spun rapidly towards the Commander's general direction. I made sure to keep it levitated so the act of it grinding against the floor wouldn't alert Alpha of its presence. Within seconds the hammer comes straight down upon Alpha's skull, hitting him with force that once the weapon moves away the Commander is bounced a few feet above the ground.

As he begins to fall I charged at my weapon, calling it back like a boomerang so it arrives back in the grasp of my right hand once I reach the halfway point between where I and it were. The backside of the hammer is held downwards so it can scrape up bits and pieces of the ground to increasing my weapon's already impressive girth, and as I near Alpha I swing it upright, smashing him in the face with enough force to send him flying straight up through the glass ceiling, crumbling all the debris I had built up in the meantime. I continued my run, creating a rocky incline with a mere thought so I could start running up the wall in front of me.

I was able to stick to the surface thanks to it being composed of rocks, and it also gave me the added bonus of not losing any traction so long as I kept moving. I saw the shadowy outline of Alpha's body descending towards my shadow, and I swung my hammer up so it could strike him. However, it was not going to be a simple matter of hitting him as it was before. He had recovered from my previous blows in the time it took for me to scale halfway up the wall. He summoned a rainbow colored energy shield from a socket in his right arm to block my hammer and launch it away with a quick swing.

He then charges ahead, keeping his right arm held beside his folded wings, and with a burst of speed he strikes me in the neck with the bulk of his left arm. My air circulation is briefly cut off with the blow to my larynx, and I am dragged away from the wall and slammed into the ground in the time it takes for me to flinch in response to the devastating blow. As dust and debris rises up around the impact zone, Alpha glares at me through the his eye patch, his body twitching as he grits his teeth and looks as though he is struggling to maintain control of his actions. He keeps me pinned to the ground for a few seconds, my vision becoming blurry the moment I notice the dust contorting around an invisible figure that floats behind Alpha's body.

Once he lets go, I'm allowed to breathe once more, a cough following the sudden inhaling of a few dust particles as he rises into the air and prepares his cannon arm once more. As the energy charged I had only a few minutes to react, and though my left arm was plastered to the crater made from my impact I used everything in my power to pull it out and swing my fingers to the right. An uneven pillar of rock flies out of the wall right next to Alpha, hitting the arm with enough force that it shoves it out of alignment the moment he fires the beam. The pulsating red energy burns through the air diagonally, the edge of the beam crashing ten feet away from my face and spreading the energy outward along the floor for two feet as it tries to smolder through it.

While Alpha is dealing with the beams misaim, I pulled my other arm out of the crater, using the hands on the edges to push myself out with relative ease. Once the five seconds it takes to do that have passed I'm sitting up again, getting on my feet not long afterwards. I then see the crimson light from the beam disappear from the corner of my eye, and knew that I wouldn't have long before he launched another attack. In the midst of everything else, I had lost track of my hammer, so until I could see it I would have to rely on my fist and the environment to attack, since the Commander wouldn't give me a moments notice to concentrate and create my own rocks.

I stamped the ground, cracking an area in front of me that sends a chunk of rock into the air until the top is level with my head. I raising me knee up, breaking apart the bottom of the massive chunk but at the same time it allows me to say "Screw it" to gravity and cause it to launch up higher than it did when it was first created. But Alpha was ahead of me, and though I don't see where it comes from I hear a ticking object attaching itself to the top of the chunk as I watch Alpha swiftly fly away from the path of the girth-y projectile. The ticks increase in both speed and intensity until a sudden explosion blows it up entirely.

The burning chunks of rock flying my way, but even with the fire element added to them all I have to do is hold my hands up to stop them in place just milliseconds before they touch my palms. The molten rain is dispersed as I swish my arms out, just in time for two sharp blades to strike me square in the back. I'm frozen in place by the pain, my skin beginning to leak blood that I feel dripping down me until it goes to my shirt and soaks into the cloth. While my body was reflected in the smoke and smoldering rocks, I held my dirty hands behind my back and reached around for the objects that impaled me. There were two shurikens that I quickly pulled out, even though I was forced to wince for my troubles.

Had these projectiles dug any deeper into my body, they would've paralyzed me with pain via the nervous system, and that just couldn't happen now. I turned around, casually flinging the four-pronged metal objects away as I see Alpha on the ground once more with two slits in his palm that the projectiles obviously were fired from. I took my shirt and pulled it off momentarily, raising it so I could proceed to wrap it around the area where the wounds were inflicted just to decrease the amount of blood loss. "Come on Mew, you can't let him get the best of you…" I thought to myself, gritting my teeth and steeling my mind with determination as I thrust my right fist out beside my hip the moment I finish tying the shirt around my gut.

I could control metal too, since it was based around the Earth element, but I wasn't planning to use the shuriken until it would prove beneficial for me to do so. I stood in place, motionless in all of my limb's movements as I kept my eyes sharply focused on Alpha's position. The moment he moves, I will still be able to follow him, that I was certain of. "Make your move, Commander." I taunted the Goomba, even though he likely couldn't hear me the way he was now. He hesitantly moves his right arm back, sealing the slits he created while his facial features quiver in an attempt to make a discernable expression of his anger.

But after his hesitation has ended he pulls his left foot back, kicking himself forward at me while drawing a sword out of both of his converted arms. I meet his attack by coating my arms in diamond, swinging one out to match the arm that was sent my way and blocking the sword as it is swung at my face. What follows is a flurry of blows from both ends, with the tips of his two swords poking and scratching at my diamond arms to try and break through. After hovering in mid-air for a bit, Alpha plants himself on the ground and increases the speed of his slashes to try and find an opening through my arms that thrust outward like bullets. His body becomes surrounded by a field of bright, crimson light created by the afterimages of his slashes, and the mesmerizing sensation caused my glaring at them for even a few seconds forces me to close my eyelids and rely on instincts to keep going in order to avoid making a costly mistake.

He wasn't letting up, but I had no intention of backing down either even though he had the stamina to keep this up forever. I kept my stance firm by having rocks crawling up below my feet, wrapping their hardened forms around them until they finally locked into place halfway between the ground and my kneecaps. It would now take a lot more effort from Alpha to push me back, and this little maneuver gave me more time to figure out how to counter his furious onslaught. There was just something not right with how Alpha was acting. He may be many things, but there was no evidence beforehand to suggest that he would act like such a berserker.

The real Commander would be crafty in his movements, even as a "Shadow". He would use his smarts and arsenal to outwit and overwhelm his opponents, I had gone over this beforehand, but while this Alpha knew how to use his arsenal he just simply wasn't using it as well as he could be. Once again I see the Commander gritting his teeth firmly, his left eye wincing in pain as he forces his blades to grind against the ground in order to slow them down. At first I thought he was giving me an opening to strike him with, but as the dust was kicked up from his blows I was able to clearly see the outline of the same invisible figure standing behind him as I did earlier.

Everything made sense at that point. The reason for Alpha's erratic behavior stemmed from being controlled by someone else. After widening my eyes slightly out of surprise over the fact that the Commander was able to resist long enough to assist me, I nodded to thank him for the hint to his puppeteer's existence, and immediately focused all of my strength into my right foot. I pushed forward, keeping the pressure light on the stony root while I waited for an opening between the storm of slashes that Alpha kept going. When that time was nigh, I broke apart the rocks with ease, kicking the Commander straight in the face and stopping his swords by punting him through the air.

Alpha fell down, but regain his composure quickly enough to land on his feed, skidding across the ground a few inches while his arms turned back to normal. After lowering my foot I looked out at the space where the invisible figure presumably stood, brandishing my finger towards it with a furious look in my eyes. "Show yourself, Shadow Alpha!" There was a bit of silence amongst the battlefield, disrupted rather quickly by the familiar, menacing laughter that echoes off of the walls around us. "EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!" That very noise sent an ominous chill through my spine, my body stiffening up as goosebumps pop up all-across my skin. I lower my arm down as I watch the air behind Alpha spasm and distort to reveal the being responsible for the laugh.

Wearing a foggy, purplish cloak with yellow embroidery that hid the violet robe she wore underneath, the being raised her thin, lime-green, wrinkly, four-fingered hands into the air and gave me an arrogant smirk with the callous, yellow-eyed glare on her face piercing deep into my memories and my soul. She was Cackletta, a witch of unimaginable power that brought about many of the troubles for Alex Whiter and the others heroes during their journeys. But if my assumptions were correct, she was supposed to be dead by now, never again to be seen by mortal eyes. Yet save for the eyes, she had been brought back in full before me. It was with her presence that I remembered what the Chronicler had told me the moment we met, about how Mr. Reality has no influence over the dead, a theory which was shot down with Cackletta's sudden return to the living. This raised plenty of questions about the legitimacy of the Chronicler's identity, and as I slanted my eyebrows down in anger and confusion I murmured to myself "What the hell is going on here?"

_Next Time: Desperation Against the Chessmaster_


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: Of Science and Magic II: Two Sides, Similar Methods**

Ok, lets recap everything that has happened over the last few hours. First, I encountered Alpha in the Frozen Palace and began confronting him in battle, but unlike the rest of the heroes he doesn't bear the appearance of a "Shadow", meaning that he is the real deal. Second, it turns out that someone was controlling him, who then turns out to be a revived Cackletta, much to my abject horror. Finally, the Chronicler, the one being I've been able to trust throughout this entire journey, is someone whose words I'm beginning to doubt in light of circumstantial evidence. So with all these events unfolding at once, I though to myself…"Was coming here really worth all this trouble?" While I sigh and plant one hand against my face.

The witch laughed at my confusion, taking pleasure in it as she pulled her head back and folded her cloak together to hide her arms temporarily. Once she was done enjoying herself, she looked down at me as I peered through the gaps between my fingers and said to me "What's the matter young Overlord? Are you afraid of me after all this time?" in a manner that wonderfully befit her arrogant personality. I pulled my hand away from my face, glaring straight at her with my head leaned forward slightly to stand bravely against her words before saying to her in response "I'm not afraid, I'm just surprised to see you alive yet again…"

My left hand twitched slightly, an unconscious, fearful reaction to Cackletta's existence. I tightened it into the shape of a fist quickly, but my action was not performed fast enough for it to escape the witch's glance. "Then why do you tremble in my presence?" It was a question designed to strike at my psyche and make me flinch, but having prior knowledge of her tricks thanks to Alex's memories alongside my lack of gullibility allowed me to pump my fist out in front of my face and proudly declare to her. "What reason do I have to tremble because of you? All you are is a fly, here one second, and then gone the next…But last I checked, someone finally stamped you out for good, so what's the deal? Why are you suddenly alive now?"

"Ehehe…" Cackletta merely brushed off my comeback with a laugh as if it were nothing, and after looking at me with her usual grin she began to walk around Alpha's frozen stiff body. "How curious that you would call me out on being dead, especially when you should be dead yourself after what my creation did to you. Of course, for my accusation to hold any water you'd have to be the real deal and not a clone." I widened my eyes briefly in surprise as the witch stood in place beside Alpha and folded her arms in behind her back, causing her cloak to part accurately in turn. "How do you know about that…"

"The answer is simple my child…The one to whom I owe the gratitude of reviving me also implanted into me the memories of all the events that had transpired in my year of absence." She tilted her head, not to look at me but to glance down at the Commander with her eyes widening with sadistic glee. "You can thank your little Commander friend for my death…Well, him and that wretched plumber, to be exact." She turns her head around eerily, stepping across the floor until she stands as close to Alpha's body as she physically wants. She kneels down, drawing her right hand from her cloak and wrapping her fingers around his chin and using them to force him to stare straight into her callous, wretched eyes.

"Still though, to think that after all those years of careful planning along with the many rituals I had performed to extend my own life so I could live until the right moment, that I would be bested by the lowest form of life on this planet who only knew of my plans for thirty years of his wretched existence…" Alpha grimaced while Cackletta so bitterly described the fact that her plans were undone by him. After giving the Commander a menacing smile and cackling to herself quietly, Cackletta raised her body up while saying "But as my body crumbled and regenerated multiple times from the cells he implanted inside of me, I came to realize begrudgingly how much I respected the Commander for his ever persistent efforts and careful manipulations…"

"It was rather easy to accept that I was defeated by him…After all, he understood my twisted behavior more than anyone else ever could've hoped to, because that's the type of mind he chose to have in order to combat me in our everlasting game of wits. And the stress of keeping that behavior away from the world drove him paranoid of everyone both friend and foe alike. However, it HAS been a year since my demise, so I have to ask…" Turning and looking down at Alpha, Cackletta grins widely and says to him in a curious yet mocking tone of voice "How have you been conquering your inner demons thus far?" Alpha wanted to say something, but his lips were sealed tightly by an unknown force while he continued to flinch and grit his teeth in anger at the witch's presence.

While Cackletta wasted her time away focusing on the one who caused what she-called her premature demise, I came up with a startling truth about just why the witch had been revived, the answer of which stemmed from the various things she continued to exposit about without end. To Alpha, Cackletta represented the part of his personality that he didn't want to exist in the presence of others. Knowing this probably from warping reality to learn of his past, Mr. Reality chose to revive Cackletta to act as the Commander's "Shadow" instead of bothering to have the 'Midnight Channel' create another being from his subconscious.

But that left one major question lingering right on the tip of my tongue, and after staring at the two beings for a prolonged period of time as Cackletta freakishly stared at the Commander I said to her "What the hell have you done to Commander Alpha?!" I was somewhat furious at the helpless state Alpha had been put into, though at the same time there was a part of me that was glad to see him having to be forced to endure such pain, this emotion originating from the memories of Alex's past where the Commander had tortured him in order to draw rather pointless information from his memories.

The witch turns her body around , folding her arms into her cloak once more as she grins at me and says "What I've done is make it so that he acts as my puppet. Admittedly, I had not originally learned a spell that allowed me to control others against their will, but the person who revived me told me from afar of a spell called 'Imperio', which when cast allows one to perform that very action. At first I was reluctant to listen to the voice, but when the being gave me the Commander as a test subject and said 'I'm certain that you will enjoy using him to destroy the Elemental Overlord' I was able to determine that he understood what type of person I was, and so I willingly subjected myself to the effects of the realm he covered this planet in just to add authenticity to this game of his while at the same time giving me the chance to destroy you and truly end the Overlord's legacy once and for all!"

Well that makes sense. Mr. Reality played Cackletta like a sap just to get her to be a part of his game. Honestly, it was rather funny to see the witch speak with an air of arrogance around her as if she had full control over her situation. Just like with the "Shadows" before this point, her purpose will be fulfilled the moment I release the Ice energy reserve. Instead of revealing this information to her though, I merely grinned and decided that I'd be able to get a good kick out of watching her villainous breakdown as she is deservedly wrenched from the mortal plane and sent back to hell where she truly belonged.

Of course, that's assuming I'd even make it through this fight. It was bad enough I had to fight Alpha, but now Cackletta was around to cause trouble for me. This terrible mixture of magic and weaponry would be difficult to overcome, and I had already been weakened a bit from some of Alpha's attacks. If there were any saving graces though, it was that the Commander was showing signs of resistance, which means he might be able to hold back enough to let me knock him unconscious, at which point Cackletta, in theory, should be a piece of cake to deal with. It also helped that I had already gotten a few hits in on Alpha.

"Now then, shall we continue?" The witch speaks out to me while I was deep in thought, snapping me out of it with a snap of her fingers as I hear the quick rumbling of thunder in the air above me. I look up, and immediately jump back to avoid a lightning strike that crashes into the ground and nearly blinds me in a flash of light. In the midst of my leap, the witch summoned one of her holes and fell into it, emerging behind the Commander and swaying her right arm out to command him to charge straight at me. With the smoke from the smoldering rocks rising off the ground to cover my presence, I bent my lower legs backward, sticking my bare feet to the wall with the help of my powers as I quickly stamp my left palm behind me to keep myself steady while I coat my right arm in diamond and hold it outward to block a direct attack from the bulk of Alpha's arm that was aimed at my neck.

"Well at least now I know why you have been rather sadistic in where you attack me, Alpha…" I thought to myself as I pressed forward to keep the Coommander at bay in mid-air. I took my left hand off the wall and called for my weapon wherever it may have been, allowing me body to get pushed backwards against the wall even though it hurt to let my back muscles get bent the way they were. Thanks to Cackletta's eyes, Alpha was able to see my weapon coming at me, and promptly opened a compartment in his arm that summoned forth a small thing mechanical clasp that launches itself at my wrist and grabs it tightly.

The sudden pain that wrenched itself through my arm caused me to lose my concentration on my hammer as it was just a second away from going in my grasp. But as my weapon began to fall down beside the Commander, I re-established a connection with it, commanding it to perform one quick swing so it would hit Alpha square in the side of his body. The head of the hammer connects with the skin for about one second, and the next few are spent watching Alpha get launched away from me, his clasp being torn away from the rest of his body as it lets go and falls onto the ground with a single bound and a "clink".

Before Alpha recovers, I jump off of the wall, grabbing the hammer in mid-air and giving it another swing before I grab the handle in both hands and raise it vertically above my head. I bring it down with much gusto in my roar, and a row of rocky stalagmites rupture out through the ground in a single line towards Cackletta. The witch casually avoids them by sidestepping to the left, and she raises her right hand up ready to smite me with another lightning bolt. However, I quickly pull my weapon up, holding it outward as I spin clockwise and hit the tip of the first stalagmite in such a way that it becomes chipped off and launches itself as a jagged projectile straight towards the witch.

It collides straight into her chest, pushing her body along the ground a few inches thanks to recoil as it crumbles. This attack of mine also makes her lightning re-direct and land a few feet away from me. After recovering from the momentum of my powerful swing, I stood still and looked at Cackletta, waiting for her to lift her body up so she could try another attack. However, I also felt a vibration coming off of the wall to the left of me. After turning in that direction, I perform a backflip, holding my hammer downward to block the poke of Alpha's sword with the handle before raising it upward quickly to use the head to break the energy off from the rest of his arm.

As my legs are the first to descend towards the ground, I prepared myself to strike the ground and rupture it with a shockwave that would knock Alpha into the air, only for my vision to avert away from the Commander as I heard a hole opening below me. Falling into it without having any time to escape, I reappear straight in front of Cackletta, who has armed her hands with a pulsating array of red and yellow magic that fizzled in and out of existence with every blink of her eyelids. Before I could strike her with my hammer she summoned forth a cylindrical prison made entirely of forbidden runes.

I was stunned, my arms bound to my body as I could sense Alpha turning around and flying my way. With little time to react, I used my mind to call on the shuriken that were still lying on the ground, levitating them to the point that I would have to rely on my own guidance to allow them to connect with my target. I heard the swish of Alpha's blade through the air, and immediately flung the projectiles out in an arch while I was unable to turn my head back to see where they were flying. I had to aim them correctly, or I'd be cut down here and now. As a nervous sweat trickled down my spine, I heard two "Shink!"s and only a second later did I feel the cold steel lip of Alpha's sword barrel pressing against the part of my skin that protected my heart.

The fizzling of electricity alerted me that my shuriken had cut off the wiring that allowed the sword to function, and the only harm done to me was a light bit of pain caused from the Commander pressing against my nerves, seeing as he was originally planning to puncture my heart and all. Of course, I wasn't out of the clear yet. As the witch forced Alpha to work on fixing the damage with his opposite hand while still keeping his barrel pressed against my back, I forced myself to look back at her as she grinned with certainty, thinking that my efforts were futile in the long run. But it would be far too simple to escape, and all I had to do was keep myself calm and close my eyes to concentrate.

After summoning forth a light tremor to act as a distraction, I focused on the chunks of rock that had been broken off of the pillar earlier, slowly lifting them off of the ground so they don't get noticed until its far too late. After opening my eyelids up, I hear one of the shuriken falling onto the floor, realizing that it won't be too long until the other one follows suit. With the rocks still grasped in my terrakenesis I break through the paralysis of the prison long enough to snap my fingers, the up-until-then unaware Cackletta flinching once in surprise before turning in the direction of the rocks just as they bombard her all across her body.

In the ensuing cloud of dust her concentration on the prison is broken and as it disintegrates I am freed, allowing me to quickly rise into the air the very moment Alpha's sword returns and he swings it out to the right in a failed attempt to get me while he still had a chance to. Once I am on the air I take the dust surrounding the witch and draw it to me, swirling it around my body as a ring that I can use at any time for other attacks. I then fly backwards as Alpha rises up and tries to cut me through the center of my underside. However, the Commander is quick to react, flipping himself around and kicking me square in the face as he also had a larger clasp lash out from a separate compartment in his right arm and wrap itself around my gut, making it so the nerves in my back get briefly pinched by the bones to cause a slight amount of paralysis.

The next few seconds fly by faster than I can comprehend, as Alpha drags me into his body and lets go of the clamp, following on the positioning of his body by charging shoulder first through the dust ring and checking me straight in the gut, curving my body in the opposite direction as he presses onward through the air, carrying me along towards the wall as the air blows across the side of my face. My impact with the wall causes a hole to be busted through it, but it also manages to snap me out of the paralysis and quickly take my left hand through the screeching velocity of this flight and place it down on Alpha's arm, using it as a stand to push myself away from the Commander so he instead goes flying past me instead of continuing to keep me through the air.

My back felt a bit sore after all the things it went through, but at the very least I knew it would heal in time. As Alpha was swerving his flight to come back around and strike me, I quickly turned around and went back inside the temple through the hole he made, watching as Cackletta lifted her right arm up in full and opened a vortex in the sky that launched forth a massive beam of electricity meant to singe me. I twirl around to the right, my left arm nearly scraping the edge of the coursing electricity as I continue to fly towards the witch. But with her masterful manipulations she manages to force Alpha to raise his shield before the attack hits him, as noted from the corner of my eye.

Still, this gave me a moment to one-on-one the witch while the beam died out. I rushed out her, noticing her raising her other hand as a hole begins to form within the void of air. Considering the circumstances that occurred last time I fell through one of those, I obviously knew not to charge through this time around. So with yet another twirl to the right I dodged the gap and got my hammer held behind my head, swinging it outright straight towards Cackletta's skull as she looked down at me with a confident grin still on her face. She raised her right arm up into the air, and magic began to swirl around it.

I knew what she was planning on doing, so at the last second I decided to surprise her by lowering my weapon ever so slightly so that my strike would be aimed at her undefended ribcage instead. However, the lifting of her arm unfurls her cloak behind herself, revealing a miniature hole behind it that is positioned just in the line of my hammer's swing. Before I had time to even wonder how she could've predicted my move as well as she did, my hammer swung through the hole and emerged from the other side behind me, colliding straight into the side of my body with enough force to derail my flight and send me hurtling away from Cackletta, a process which also pulls my back weapon through the hole. You really don't want to think about how that maneuver worked, trust me.

Either way, as I'm sent flying away I peek my head up to look at the witch as she lowers her arm and gleams at me with a grin on her face. I wasn't about to let her get away with such trickery, so as I was flying I forced my right leg to slam down against the ground, the sole pounding down with such force that it causes a sea of miniature rocky spikes to spread out towards Cackletta, catching her off-guard surprisingly and knocking her into the air. Of course wouldn't you figure I wouldn't be able to take advantage of it after lowering my other foot down and grinding my body to a halt, since Alpha was flying back my way with his sword still brandished.

I quickly tossed my hammer off to the side, coating my arms in diamond and throwing out a left hook that forced Alpha to swerve out of the way of my blow, only for his face to meet the hardened ends of my right knuckles, causing him to be launched back through the air, where he collides with Cackletta midway through and both get sent flying across the room, giving me a moment's reprieve for the first time in a long while. I stand still, leaning over and catching my breath as sweat drips down my face. "Shoot, this is ridiculous…If I had the ability to switch forms like I did with Gemini and Geno's 'Shadows', then this would be a piece of cake, but for now, I'm running out of environment and ideas to use against these two…" Analyzing the situation as it currently was, I grit my teeth and see the Commander burst into the air with his wings spread wide.

His arms were breaking apart piece by piece, each one landing on the ground until all that remains in the grip of his molten gold human-like arms is a silver handle with a blade made entirely out of ionic energy. "Whoa…I've never seen Alpha do this before…" I widened my eyes, worried about this move of the Commander's considering how unexpected it was. Cackletta rises up off the ground, bruises and dirt covering her greenish skin as she looks at me and says with grim intent "This is the end for you, foolish young Overlord. What you are about to die at the hands of is the same move that ended my own life!"

Alpha charges at me, his body arriving in front of me in the span of a second due to a massive increase in his speed. I barely react to his slash as he passes by my body like lightning, the blade cutting into my left leg and sending a sharp bolt of searing pain through it that forces me to kneel down as I grit my teeth and clasp my hands to slow down the blood dripping out of the wound. He curves around behind me, the breeze of his flight alerting me to his presence as I widen my eyes and quickly duck to avoid another slash that would've lobbed my head right off of my shoulders. However, despite seeing the light of one slash, I felt the breeze of three spread out across the air.

Letting go of my leg momentarily, I thrust my arms forward and perform a somersault to get out of the way of a downward slash, turning my body around and rushing to my feet just in time to leap over a slash that cuts in three different directions. I try to slam my palms through the air, taking the remaining dirt in the air and throwing it out to try and blind Alpha, but he bursts through the air to avoid it, releasing a shockwave that tosses me backwards and making Cackletta assume that I'm at the mercy of the Commander's might. I had no clue where he was as I tumbled about, but I couldn't take the risk of predicting just where he was going to be.

I concentrated on my entire body, stiffening my muscles as I folded my legs and arms inward. I had to coat all of my skin in diamond, but this effort would leave me motionless and cause me to fall onto the ground for a few seconds as I defended myself. The coat of diamond began at the feet, crawling up my legs as I felt a breeze begin to swirl around my body, the velocity increasing rapidly until it becomes like the wind, and even more until a tornado is formed around me. However, by that time my body had become encased in diamond, my mind still functioning so I can free myself when this is all over.

My body was kept in the eye of the tornado as all the debris and rocks that had been created up until this point was sucked in. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it around me. I heard the whirring of light from Alpha's blade, and with speeds nearing that of light itself the Commander unleashed a furious combo of sword slashes from every point that he could possibly strike me from, scratching my body in futility as I just floated precarious, my heart pounding beneath the layer of diamond surrounding me in fear for my own mortal life. The only saving grace was that Cackletta couldn't see what was happening and do anything to break my protective shell.

And as I worried about what could occur, the torrent of slashes finally comes and end, likely because his efforts were amounting to naught. I could hear the winds dying down, so I removed the diamond shell from my body and looked up after moving all of my limbs outward. Alpha charged downward without warning, stamping his foot into my gut and slamming me into the floor below, the pressure of his weight in combination with the thickness of the ground knocking me for a loop as my eyes bulge out in pain and a cough thrusts itself through my open mouth along with a few drops of blood.

The Commander spread his wings wide, obscuring the rays of light behind him so I could get a full view of his body as he raises his right sword far above him and grasps his left hand around my neck to keep me suspended in place. He was gritting his teeth in pain, struggling as hard as he could against the control Cackletta had over him. He was sweating profusely, his right arm quivering as the witch edged him on callously. His angered glare was not directed at me, but at the person he couldn't bring himself to turn his head towards. Deep down within him I could see his disappointment at this situation, and as I looked into the reflection of myself cast within his pupils I whispered to him "Sorry Alpha…But I guess Cackletta won after all…"

There was a purpose in my act of false submission, and as I closed my eyelids tightly to pretend that I was accepting this death of mine I kept a smile on in my subconscious soul. As I waited patiently, I heard a loud "shink!" echoing in my left ear, and quickly opened my eyelids up and pretended to widen my eyes in surprise as I turn and notice Alpha's blade planted into the ground beside me. He was leaned over, gasping for air due to how tough it was for him to resist Cackletta's control for just that moment. "Not today kid…Not now, and not ever…" It worked. By relying on the part of Alpha's personality that absolutely abhors the witch, he was able to break through her control long enough to give me the opening I needed. But first…

"Alpha, this is really going to hurt us both, but do you trust me from here on out?" I asked with a whisper. "Yeah kid, just work quickly, or you will lose your neck…" He responded in a trusting yet rigid tone of voice, just like I expected him to. With a nod of my head, the Commander slightly loosened the grip on his left hand and moved the arm away, allowing me to take in a breath of oxygen as I lifted both of my arms up with all of my might. I coated them nice and slowly in Lutetium Metal, the strongest metal known to man. However, unlike all other things I can spread across my skin, this metal makes my muscles feel sore from the weight pressing down upon them from all sides.

I had to act quickly, and I folded my arms just an inch above my chest, looking left and right at the underside of Alpha's elbows. With a mighty swing my arms collide straight into them both, the thin limbs barely being able to handle the force that struck them and after a quick snap rings through them both the Commander winces in pain and releases the grip on his sword, his body falling right on top of me as I feel a teardrop trickling from his only organic eye. He was knocked unconscious from the sharp pain, but I wasn't really faring any better after using that metal to deal the final blow. My tendons were shot, my skin felt ready to bruise at various vectors, and it was hard to know if the blood would ever flow again.

With what little strength I had left in my upper limbs, I brushed Alpha off of my body, standing up as a familiar cackle rings through the air, much to my eyelid-shut annoyance. "EHEHEHEHE! I must admit, I didn't expect you to survive all of that, child. Even for a clone, you are as stubborn as the original." The witch's praise wasn't without a hint of mockery, especially considering how beat up my body looked. Even so, I glanced at her from the side of my left eye, arching my eyebrows downward with my vision somewhat blurred. "But what does it matter if you beat the Commander? I am still alive and prime for battle, while you look ready to collapse at a moment's notice."

"Is that what you really think?" I said in response, bravely making a stand even though I was really in no such condition to do so. "Its like you said, I'm stubborn, and so long as I have even an inch of life in me I'm going to keep standing against you." "True, the real you would say the exact same thing if faced with this crisis, but there's a point where not even determination and stubbornness can allow you to live. I am the master of your life as of this moment, and I have chosen for you to perish." Cackletta holds her arms out, filling them with magic ready to deal the final blow, but I had one last thing to say to her, and I still had confidence in my plan even with this grim outlook.

"Master? Man, I can't believe that you would call yourself that right now. In this game of Mr. Reality's, you aren't even a pawn, let alone a player, and far from the title of master. You may have been used to being in control when you were alive, but now its only because of the alien's control of this world that you are even alive right now. Face it witch, your time has long passed." Cackletta slants her eyebrows and growls at me, hesitantly admitting without saying it that I had a point. "So what?" She rebuttals. "So long as I know that I took you down with me, I couldn't care less about that detail."

"See, that's the thing…You aren't going to take me down. Let me show you why…" As I turned my body to the left to stare at her with all of my confidence brimming in my pupils, I lifted my right arm up and snapped my fingers. My hammer, seemingly forgotten in the midst of battle, quickly flies up into the air and spins around towards the altar. With a mighty blow to the top of it the snowflakes shatter, releasing the energy reserve trapped within and causing the usual light show to flush itself through the confines of both the temple and the world, much to Cackletta's surprise, and in turn the color returns in full along with my appearance going back to its original state. After that I smirk at the witch, calling my sword back into my right hand even though it caused me to wince from gripping my fingers around the handle.

"What did you just do?" The witch asked out of curiosity, as I looked into her eyes and noticed that they were now back to their normal, purplish selves. "You don't know? Geez, and here I thought you kept tabs on everything so your plans would go off without a hitch. I'll tell you what I did…I broke the realm's influence on a singular section of the world, allowing me to change into whatever other elemental forms I want to. And you should know by now that when I do that, my body becomes completely healed, meaning that we should be on a more even footing…So, do you still wan to fight me?" I egged her on, pointing my sword in front of me as she kept her magic attached to her hands.

"Eheheheh…Oh no, I know what battles I need to fight and which ones are futile. Besides, everything is as it should be. Since I've been reborn, the Nanomachines that prevented my Second Life spell from keeping me alive indefinitely have been removed, and I've learned some very valuable information about the affairs of the universe since I died. We will have our battle, but only at a later date, child…" I didn't really care about anything Cackletta had to say right now, and I watched as the witch took her right hand and waved it beside her, opening up a capsule shaped portal of black and blue darkness before she folded her arms into her cloak.

"Farewell for now…" She turned towards the portal and began walking towards it, while I lowered my arm and stayed confident in my theory. As she neared it, the portal suddenly shut, leaving her frozen in place with a bewildered expression on her face. "Eh?" She murmured, but when she tried to raise her arm again she found that it refused to budge from where it was positioned. Not just that, her entire body had been frozen in place by a, quote-on-quote unknown being. "What is this?! Why can't I move?!" The panic and confusion in the witch's normally composed voice brings a smile to my face, as does the attempts at shifting her face around to look for any signs of a binding object or spell.

"_With the energy reserve released, you have no right being here anymore, witch…"_ Mr. Reality's voice echoes throughout the room, berating Cackletta with a level of harsh judgment the likes of which I had never heard before. "N-No! This isn't right, you have no jurisdiction in this matter!" Cackletta yelled out in fear, her eyes widening and her pupils shrinking as they move around to try and seek out the one responsible for the voice to no avail. _"I don't? Tell me, did you honestly believe that with all the deplorable acts you have performed throughout your lifetime, that I would ever be lenient enough to let you live after your purpose had been served?"_

"You told me that you were a villain though, that you would grant me freedom if I were to survive the game!" The witch was dripping sweat in desperation, her demeanor crumbling to reveal the scared, pitiful being lying beneath it. She had never been so helpless before, but as Mr. Reality pointed out her acts are far too deplorable for forgiving, and she would not gain any of my sympathy as the alien continued to tear into her vocally. _"You misinterpreted what I said. Though it is true that I am a villain, I have only taken upon that role because it was one that needed to be filled. Even if I have acted the way I have thus far, there still exists a being with morals and standards…One who is disgusted just by the mere sight of your presence, witch…"_

As Mr. Reality talked, I heard Alpha rising up off the ground behind me, his groan signifying the pain wrenching his head as he turns around and opens his eye to see what is going on. _"Forgive me, Commander Alpha, for using you the way I did…I can assume that forgiveness will not be earned through a simple apology, so I would like to offer to you another chance to destroy the witch that had plagued your life so many times before." _Mr. Reality spoke to Alpha politely, and as the Commander looked up and raised his eyebrow in a manner that showed that he recognized the voice, he chuckled and said in response "Ha, yeah, you got that right about forgiveness…However…"

I could literally feel Alpha's thin, golden arms radiate with a magnetic pull from where I stood, likely because of the pull it had on my blade. In a matter of seconds all of the parts he dropped fly back to him, reassembling the complex, mechanical limbs to their full state of existence as he moves his arms through the air, positioning them so his left hand is strapped around the right elbow and the arm itself can turn into its cannon form, primed and ready to fire with Cackletta dead in his sights. "I definitely won't pass up another opportunity to blast this bitch into nothingness…Though I will ask, did you or did you not shut off her 'Second Life' spell?"

"_I did, of course."_ Mr. Reality responds to Alpha's surprisingly docile inquiry, and as the Commander smiled brightly at the news he nudged his head as a warning for me to get out of the way. With the whirring of energy and the clicking of gears as an advent, Alpha launches the mother of all ionic beams from the barrel of his cannon, which proceeds to burn through everything that lies along its pathway of destruction, leaving not a single atom around until it sears right through Cackletta's body, slowly disintegrating both flesh and bone as the witch lets out a blood curling screech as her last act of living. Needless to say, by the time Alpha was done with his attack along with everything else we had done during out battle, the throne room looked more like a gravesite instead of the beautiful palace it once was before.

The Commander lowered his seething cannon, swinging it around to disperse the smoke as his body returns to its normal, brownish skin and black trench coat appearance. "And that's finally the end of her…" Alpha says cheerfully _"So it is…Well then young Mewmaster, you only have one more temple left to go, and I am looking forward to seeing how you handle that. For now though, you look injured…Allow me to help you recover a bit." _As Mr. Reality ominously ends his sentence, my body is swiftly struck with the weightlessness of exhaustion, and not only does my sword dispel from the grip of my hand, but my eyelids become heavy and I begin to tilt forward. I can feel a sensation similar to sand digging itself into my tear ducts, and as I fall forward I notice Alpha quickly turning my way in concern, but I am unable to see what he does as my body…Falls into a deep…slumber…

_Next Time: The Second Piec_


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: The Final Break I: A Conversation with Alpha**

I am in the middle of a steam ridden environment. Lava is erupting from all sides, the landscape tearing itself apart as the ground starts to descend into the molten magma and burns away into the scathing liquid without a trace. On the only thick bridge giving me access to an unknown location I stand in front of a cloaked being, who for some reason I cannot recognize even though we had met many times beforehand. His aura was no longer feint, but very nearly matched my own. As I stood motionless with my eyes frozen in surprise, I realized that I may have said something, perhaps a revelation about who the being truly was.

"You wanted to know who I am?" They said, the voices of many echoing through the air as they part their hood backwards with both of their hands. I stared into a completely featureless human face, the smooth skin reflection my own face off of it as it said to me. "I am a blank, I am nothing, no one remembered, and no one who existed…Of course, in the end…" Poking through the flesh with viscera and blood leaking out from the openings are eyes, a nose, a mouth, ears, and a hair style similar to my own appear to fill his otherwise empty face. "Perhaps I could just become you?" He grins wildly, staring at me with menacing red eyes as I suddenly feel something puncturing through my heart from behind.

The environment changes completely, the heat of the burning magma vanishing like a whisper into the night as I twist my head as far behind me as physically possible and the temperature drops to an unnatural level of coldness. With a spiky arm impaled into my body stood a dark copy of myself, his body bathed in an unholy black goop as his red seething eyes brimmed with bloodlust. "If anyone is going to become you, its going to be me…Of course, its only a matter of when and why, so tell me…" With a dark echoing of my own tone of voice, the creature spreads its mouth open wide, the two rows of fanged teeth having thin enough gaps between them for his long, blood-ridden tongue to slip through it. "Are you feeling angry?"

After he asked that ominous question, the creature turns his head and is immediately cut in half down the back, give no chance to react as his arm is forced out of my body and the slime begins to gush out from all open vessels of flesh. I am dropped onto the ground back first just as the slime begins to crawl closer to my body, my blood intermingling with it in a matter of seconds to create a truly gruesome mixture. The clinking of metal boots is all I hear as a shadow is cast upon my body and someone walks in front of me, clad in black armor as they keep their backs to me with a katana held in the grasp of their right hand. "In the end, it is only right that I would be the one to kill you…" The voice is familiar, but I don't know why. "Who…Who are you?" My body was dying, but as the figure turned around everything began to fizzle out, static spreading across the air to fully obscure the person's face. All I could make out is a sadistic grin as they pointed their sword at my neck and said to me in a muffled tone "Remember? I am your destruction, I am-" At that moment, everything fades away.

I then wake up in a cold sweat, my pupils shrunken as seen in the reflection of the nearby mirror as I kept my arms held against the sides of the mattress while I tried to catch my own breath. "Why did that feel so real? And who were all of those beings?" Those were the two questions I immediately asked myself even though I was suddenly sitting on a hospital bed in the center of a pure white room. My clothes were still on if not a little roughed up, but they were devoid of any blood, and the pain that I thought would be the end of me had subsided completely. I looked around, thinking that maybe I was back in Toad Town, but there wasn't a window nearby that indicated whether I was there or not.

All I had to go on was a steel door to the left and a camera hanging precariously on the upper left corner of the room. "Oh…I get it…" Remembering the last moment's before I fell to the ground unconscious in the Frozen Palace, I realized right away that I had been brought to the M.S.I.'s Base by Alpha, who was likely in a good enough condition to carry me even after all that happened with the battle against Cackletta. Of course, that didn't explain how I got healed up. I don't doubt Alpha's capabilities, I truly don't, but I was pretty broken up last I checked. Even with advanced medical technology, I really shouldn't feel as renewed as I do right now. I flexed my fingers, the soreness gone and allowing me to clench them against my palm, pumping them close to my chest in joy as I kicked the cotton sheet off with my youthful legs and immediately leaped onto the ground ready to tackle anything that heads my way.

"Oh!" Of course, in the midst of my burst of renewed vigor I looked towards the door and thought to myself with a bit of guilt in my whispering voice "Geez, here I am thinking about myself when Alpha is probably still recovering from the damage I caused to his arms and body…" I lowered my arms and snapped my fingers in front of my chest, getting an idea in my head as I smiled brightly and said next "I got it, I'll go ask some of the soldiers here where I can find him, then say hi and make sure that he is recovering safely." Having long forgotten the nightmare I had, I walked towards the door, moving my hand towards the pocket that acted as the handle, only for a "clink" to ring in my ear as the door was opened from the other side.

And who else would be standing there with his body frozen in place as he kept his right hand attached to the door handle but the Commander himself, his eye staring up at me normally as if we were just two everyday men meeting each other to take part in the daily grind of life. This gaze is averted by a jolly smirk from him, as he chuckles once and with an uplifting smile he says "Well, didn't expect you to be up and kicking so soon kid. Come on, follow me, we can talk in the hallways." Alpha lets go of the door and invites me to join him for a brisk walk down the technologically advanced hallways with the gentle wiggling of his fingers.

He then turns around and makes his way down the left of the room, allowing me to follow two feet behind him as he folds his arms behind his body. "So, got any questions? Seeing as you are the guest here in my base, it would be rather rude if I started asking them first…Ignoring the one I just asked anyways, heh." Acting humble towards me, Alpha gives me a perfect opening to inquiry about what happened after I fell unconscious. "So how did you fix me up?" Was a simple enough thing to ask, and the Commander waved his left arm out to the side and said to me. "Oh, my only contribution to your recovery was bringing you here. Believe it or not, you have Mr. Reality to thank for your wounds healing up."

That was a rather surprising response, and one that left me flinching for a moment while I tried to wrap my mind around why the alien would bother to heal me up. "Wait, why?" I asked, since Alpha seems to have the answer to that question. "He said it was a one-time gift since you were so close to the end and he didn't want to see you die because of your last maneuver, especially with how you outwitted Cackletta and all. Of course, he knocked you unconscious because he didn't want you to hear him explain all of that to me, and he asked me not to tell you…But honestly, fuck that. He doesn't have that realm of his in play anymore in this area, so he doesn't have anyone or anything controlling me, so I can say what I want, when I want."

He looks over his shoulder at me, as if expecting a reaction to the last part of his sentence. I will admit that I was a bit shocked at how blunt he put that, but save for those thoughts my expression remainder virtually untouched. "Heh, within certain limits of my personality anyways. Its not like I'm going to snap at you just for the sake of doing it, after all." He gave that clarification for the sake of reassurance, though I didn't really quite understand how he could've known that I was concerned with how stoic I was. "Either way, I'm really thankful to you for saving me, kid…Actually, I really shouldn't be treating you like you are some upstart around here after all that has occurred. So…"

Alpha stops in place just a second before me and turns around to look up at me with a warming grin. "What's your name?" "My name is Mewmaster, Commander." "Really? You sure you don't want to call yourself Alex Whiter?" Alpha kept his innocent smile even after asking that rather volatile question. I lurched back in surprise, saying to him "Huh? How did-" "I may have one eye, but its perceptive enough to instantly notice the similarities between you and him." He quickly responded, tapping his left pointer against the side of his face with a sly grin replacing his previous expression. "My mind also works well enough to realize that you two aren't the same person. If I had to take a guess, I'd imagine that you are his clone, yes?"

"Umm…Yeah, actually." At first I was nervous to respond, surprised beyond belief that Alpha was able to accurately piece together the truth without me saying a word to-"Hey, wait a minute…" I thought to myself, snapping out of my look of nervous shock as I gave the Commander a sly glare and said to him "You contacted Gemini and he told you everything, didn't you?" I quickly pieced together that inquiry, and after a couple seconds of grinning Alpha reared his head back and burst into jolly laughter. "Hahahah! Yep, you caught me red handed Mew…" He was overzealous about my perceptive discovery, and after he had finally regained control of himself Alpha lifted his right arm up and patted me on the shoulder.

"I was calling him to make sure that he was safe and sound, and he just listed off everything I had missed out on since Mr. Reality attacked our base." Alpha turned back around after explaining himself, retracting his arm behind his back in the process. "Speaking of which…They asked if you were feeling ok, especially after you apparently 'Stormed out of the house' earlier today…How have you been handling things after the revelation of your identity?" That was a bit of a sore subject to bring up, but then again, Alpha wasn't exactly known for being light when it came to these type of issues. Still, he tried to ask as delicately as he could muster considering the topic at hand, so I'd feel like a total jerk if I didn't give a comprehensive answer.

"Well, I guess it would be best if I started from the beginning of this whole mess in detail, since I'd imagine Gemini only gave you the bare basics." "That would be correct. Considering I'm trying to lead you somewhere and all, and your story sounds like a long one, let us stop here for a moment so I can better hear you out…" Empathizing with my concerns about our walking and talking, Alpha did in fact stop in place and turn around, letting me take lead in the conversation for the next few minutes as I told him everything I knew. From the Chronicler, to the whole amnesia fiasco, and finally about the truth of Alex Whiter's past. I did, however, purposely neglect to mention the part of the tale that talked about how Alex obtained his flight powers, since I figured that if anyone would try to do something about the person responsible, it would be Alpha.

"…So the Master is dead, huh?" That was the first thing Alpha murmured, rubbing his chin in deep thought as he sighs and closes his eyelids. "Were you close to him?" I asked, since he did seem a bit distraught about the news. "Not really. Just spoke with him once before…He was a wise man, very well-mannered, and I could see just why he was respected amongst the planet. 'Tis a shame when people like that die, but at least he left in peace from the sounds of things." "Mmm-hmm…" I nodded my head, and the Commander lifted his back up and said to me "So about this Chronicler person..."

"Eh? What about him?" I was puzzled by the fact that Alpha brought him up at first, but then I remembered the thoughts I was having about him when I saw that Cackletta was brought back from the dead, which deeply contradicted what the Chronicler told me about how Mr. Reality couldn't directly influence them. "Oh, right. Yeah, I don't get it…Reality warper's can't directly affect the undead, which is what the Chronicler claimed he was. But then Cackletta appears and throws a wrench in that claim, which means that the Chronicler is actually alive. But if that's the case, why hasn't Mr. Reality just incapacitated him by now with a thought? And right now I have a lot of suspicions about the whole 'I share the same connection to the elements' excuse he threw my way…But…"

"Yes?" Alpha noticed my doubts and hesitation as I turned my head to the side a bit after my spiel and clenched my right fist in front of my chest. "Well…Its just that…" I was going to say it, tell the Commander exactly who I believed the Chronicler truly was even though I wasn't fully certain about it. I turned back around and stared into Alpha's anticipating eye, discarding my doubts as I swung my arm down beside my hip and said "I think the Chronicler may in fact be Alex Whiter…" Alpha's eye immediately widens, not in incomprehensible surprise though, but rather as a show of understanding as to why I had such a difficult time choosing to say that. "The thing is though…He's dead, that's what the Chronicler said."

"Hahahah!" Alpha suddenly burst into laughter, disrespecting my somber, bewildered mood entirely as he closed his eyelids and tried to calm himself down. "Hehehe…I'm sorry for acting like this Mew, but take a moment and think about what you just said." I stood still, calmed down after looking at Alpha in disbelief, and with my eyes gazing towards the ground I took all the facts together and swiftly came to a decisive conclusion. The Commander could tell what I was thinking, and chose to say those words for me since I was frozen stiff in surprise. "If a man wants others to keep thinking that he is dead, then it stands to point that he is going to toss out every lie he can think of to keep that truth alive."

It was rather weird seeing Alpha speak with such certainty. He hadn't even met the Chronicler face to face, or experienced the things I did towards him directly, but he sounded positive when he agreed with my theory that Alex Whiter may be the Chronicler. "Of course, its not a definitive truth. There may be a lot of evidence to suggest that Alex is the Chronicler, but that doesn't mean that he is. After all, here is an alternative theory I came with off the top of my head. What if Alex cloned himself perfectly before he perished, yet implanted a subconscious command to make the clone pretend to be this Chronicler person?" "But that's ludicrous…Wouldn't the clone be in the same condition as Alex was?" I quickly argued, even though I did see a point in what Alpha was saying.

"Not necessarily. I mean after all, your right hand doesn't have the scorch marks that Alex's would've had after using the 'Blazing Overlord Fist' the first time, which suggests that Alex can modify the appearance down to the molecular level." Alpha gestured to my right hand as I left it up and put it in front of my face. "Still, I don't believe that the second theory is the true one, I just said it to show you that not everything can be decided with just one explanation." Alpha was really starting to confuse me now. He was acting like the Master did as far as vagueness went, so it was up to be to start asking for clarification before I lose track of what was going on. "So wait…Do you believe in my theory or not?" I said as I folded my arms in front of my chest and tilted my head in confusion.

"Heh, look back on how I've been speaking so far and determine the answer from there." Is what he said, so I chose to do so, calming myself and firmly thinking about the past sentences in a new light. Ever since I mentioned Alex, Alpha had said everything with absolute confidence in his words, as if he knew the truth about whether or not my original was alive or dead. "Ok Alpha." I quickly yet bluntly said. "Spit it out, you know something about Alex, don't you?" I will admit that my inquiry was asked a bit rudely, but I was growing impatient of the truth being hidden from me constantly. It had been a long day, and I had already dealt with enough hidden truths to fill a lifetime.

"Of course I do. However, I'm going to repeat what the Master told in his final moments. 'He is dead, but by what definition of the word is something you'll have to find out on your own'. The Chronicler came to you, and if he is Alex then that means he trusts you and only you to know the truth about what happened to him after the battle with his evil half, otherwise he would've come back to us by now. You understand what I'm getting at, right?" "Yeah. I have to ask the 'Chronicler' for the truth about his identity, I can't expect you to tell me. While I respect that decision, I have to ask…How and when did you get wrapped up in all this anyways?"

"It all started about a year ago, not long after Alex killed himself in battle. I had Florence go examine the area where I assumed Alex either may have landed or his glove may have fallen to. There were magnetic signatures scattered across the ground, but no sign of the glove anywhere. Needless to say, after Florence left to join the others at the funeral I was approached by the Master and Geno, who told me in layman's terms the truth about what happened with Alex. I can't go into detail about what they said, but with the Master's death only Geno, the Star Spirits, the 'higher-ups' and I know that truth."

After explaining himself, Alpha widened his eyes quickly as he remembered something and quickly shuffled his left arm in front of his face. "Speaking of that…" With a few clicks of the buttons on the surface, a secret compartment opens up above the elbow, and the Commander reaches into it while keeping one eye focused on me through the gap between the limbs. "The Master gave this to me so I could eventually transfer it over to his 'disciple'. I believe you fit the qualifications, considering he treated you like one from the sounds of things. Here you go, Mew." With a quick flick of the hand Alpha throws a stone fragment at me.

I react with the timing of a trained martial artist, latching my fingers around the object as it smacks into my palm. I then turned my hand around, looking immediately at the indescribable text inscribed into the rock and realizing what this was. "So you DID have the last piece of the tablet…But to think that you got it from the Master. I-I don't know what to say." I guess I was overwhelmed by the act of receiving this because, in a way, this was the Master's final gift to the world. I don't know how many hours it had been since he died, but the memory of his final words could still bring a tear to my eye if I thought about it for too long.

"Then let me take the lead for a bit. Ever since Cackletta ruined my life thirty years ago, I trained myself tirelessly, researching and delving into every secret of the planet that I was physically capable of looking into, making certain that I was ahead of the game on all fronts, on ever occasion, against every allegiance…But when the Master gave me this fragment of the tablet, he said to me 'The secrets hidden in this fragment are not for you to know', I considered it a challenge and defied his warning. I tried every translation, ran every protocol, did everything I could to try and translate the text. Nothing worked, and I gave up within a month. I still took it out every now and then, gazing into its mysterious presence and wondering to myself just what this stone would unlock."

"…But I digress." Alpha stops and sighs, shaking his head after rambling on for what feels like forever. "Look, to put it simply, for whatever reason the truth of the tablet was meant to be seen by you and you alone, and my only job in regards to that was to deliver the fragment to you. If you want my personal opinion though…Considering how perfectly things have been lining up, I believe that whatever the tablet has to say, it holds the secret to defeating Mr. Reality once and for all. You've been dealing with plenty of truths throughout your journey from the sounds of things, and you've perceived many of them that others would rather you not see. However, perhaps that's WHY you are the one who was destined to unlock the tablet's secrets. You can see things that most of us mortals cannot even hope to perceive."

In the midst of Alpha's explanations and compliments, I took the fragment and stuffed it into my left pant pocket. When he finished, I smiled and said to him "Well thanks for that little speech Alpha. Don't worry about it, once I see E. Gadd again, I'll let him figure out how to fit the tablet together and then I'll figure things out." I pumped my fist into my chest proudly, and the Commander grinned widely as he folded his arms behind his back and said to me "Well, then you better get some more rest then. I told the heroes to come here tomorrow via Florence's copter, so you'll want to be rested in order to take care of business…"

Alpha turned around mid-sentence, leaving me to panic and thrust my arm out with my eyes widened in shock, blurting out incoherently "Whoa whoa whoa wait what?!" Alpha stopped and turned his head to peer over his shoulders, saying to me "Is there a problem?" In a nonchalant tone of voice. "I-I just think this is rather sudden, that's all." "Not really…You got an entire night of rest to think about what to say to them, don't you? I trust you to make the right decision in regards to your apology. You know what their personalities are like, so just give one to each of them separately." Admittedly, Alpha did have a point there. I was really fretting over nothing. Yeah, I just had to give an honest-to-god apology and all would be good…Right?

"Oh, and before you ask, the reason I'm telling you to get some more sleep is because its past midnight, and while I'd imagine you are hungry the cafeteria is closed for the night because everyone else has gone to sleep. Admittedly, I apologize for bringing you for a walk considering it only led to my Command Sphere, where I was gonna do a few more things before heading off for the night, but I figured that talking while walking is better than standing around and letting our recovering legs atrophy." "But…Didn't we just stand around for most of our conversation anyways?" I said, confused as to why Alpha would say that considering how recent things were.

"Eh, I suppose that was silly of me to say." Of course, who else but Alpha would catch their error in speaking and be humble about it afterwards? "Either way, you should be able to get back to your room since I left the door open, but don't stay up too late or you'll regret it in the morning…Glad we had this conversation Mew, and good night." With a sudden farewell, Alpha departed down the hallway until the darkness ahead consumed his body whole. I took the tablet fragment out of my pocket and peered at the text. "I wonder if this has something to do with that message I heard in the wind this morning?" Having mention 'this morning', I honesty couldn't believe for a moment how many events had transpired in one day. Seriously, if you put it all together in a book, I'd bet there would be about eight chapters worth of material to write because of them all. With nothing else to say or do, I turned back around, went into the room Alpha gave to me, and laid down, ready to fall asleep in preparation for the morning…

_Next Time: Confessions of the Prince and Flower_


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: The Final Break II: Mallow and Driad**

"_Come on, get up_" I was sleeping, the fluffy texture of the sheets rubbing against the side of my face as I held it at the edge in both hands. I was content with my slumber, even though I faintly heard a voice calling to me from close by. It had a tender, nurturing tone, and whoever it was lightly pushed at the side of my body in an attempt to get me to move. I kept my eyes closed, murmuring in bliss for a prolonged period of time before the person calls to me again _"Come on, I'm trying to get you up here, at least respond to my voice…" _I kept quiet though, wanting to enjoy my sleep for just a few more fleeting moments before I had to get up and face the day.

However, the being speaking to me was persistent, his voice becoming a little more impatient as he takes his limb and pokes into my cheek, his fibrous skin rubbing against my own normal skin as he says _"HEY, WAKE UP ALREADY!" _This outburst is enough to make me squint my eyelids tightly, opening them a moment later as I creak my head around and gaze into the person responsible for my rude awakening with my vision blurred. Considering the fact that most of the person's body was green with a few hints of blue, it wasn't hard to figure out that my sleep "assailant" was Driad.

"Oooh…" I moan as I awaken fully, rubbing my eyelids to help improve my vision until I see Driad's figure in full. "When did…Yawn, when did you get here Driad?" I paused at the beginning of my sentence to yawn, smacking my lips as the drowsiness of my voice likely annoyed my friend, seeing as he went "Hmph!" and leaped off the bed only a moment later. He turned himself around to look away from me, folding his arms in front of his chest before I say to him "What's got your biscuits in a bonnet?" Which was admittedly a rather British thing for me, but it portrayed the exact meaning I wanted it to. After laying my arms against my legs above the sheet, Driad thrusts his head to the left and says to me in annoyance "After what you did yesterday, you are just going to shake it off like it was nothing?"

It was easy to see then why Driad was annoyed at me, but this really wasn't the best time to spring that issue on me, and I already had a rebuttal to his question prepared in a second. "Driad, I just got up…Rudely awakened by you as a matter of fact, and you expect me to just instantly apologize to you for what happened yesterday?" As I spoke I gestured to my friend by flipping my left hand around and waving my fingers at him, and after a few seconds of silence he stopped pouting and turned his head slightly to admit with reluctance "…No, I guess not." He then turns around fully, his eyes reflecting disappointment towards my behavior.

"Driad, I really shouldn't have stormed off like that, and I really can't tell you enough about how wrong I was on that front, but-" "I don't care about that anymore!" Driad blurted out in fury, swinging his left arm out to the side for but a few seconds before he gazes into my surprise, silent expression and takes a few heavy breaths in as a sign that this rage of his was something that had been hurting him internally for a while now. "D-Driad…" I wanted to stop the Crayzee Dayzee before he said things that he would deeply regret later, and repeated his name in my head slowly before telling myself to stop as my right arm was lifted halfway off the sheet. He needed to let go, and now was a better time than any to deal with his emotional problems.

"You know, I thought things were going great after you came here Mew. You acknowledged me as a brother, you respected me even though you truly hadn't met me for very long, and you brought my confidence back whereas Alex's sudden demise crushed it all to pieces! Out of all of us I was the only one who didn't care whether you were Alex with amnesia or a clone, because unlike you he grew arrogant and wanted to take care of things by himself. Even if we were unable to do anything now, you still regretted the fact that we couldn't come with you. It didn't matter how weak we were compared to you, you still us not for the strength of our bodies, but for the strength of our minds and hearts…You considered us to be your comrades instead of nuisances that would just get themselves hurt or killed…"

"So when the truth was let loose and you became angry at all of us for 'betraying' you, I tried desperately to make you listen and calm you down so you wouldn't just storm out that door and leave your so-called family behind! But when I failed to stop you and you took flight outside the door, the horrible memories of my final moments with Alex flushed back through my mind, and I began to see more of you in him than I would've liked to. You brashly ran out, your mind clouded by negative emotions just like Alex's was. I feared that you would suffer the same fate as he did and die because of your own damn reckless behavior!"

"And you know what I did after you left? I broke down, fell to my knees and cried for such lengths of time that my own damn tears alone would've been able to keep me hydrated for years to come! You know how many family members I lost within the span of just one week during our journey? First there were the outer guardians, who I not only had the closest connection to seeing as I was once one of them, but a couple of them I had to murder in cold blood before and after I even knew the full truth about my past! Then there were the Genesis Samurais, who sacrificed themselves to save that ungrateful bastard Alex's life! And finally there was the original Elemental Overlord's spirit, who was lost after Alex's death!"

"All those people who were or could've been part of my family, all died so Alex could be the Overlord. And what did he do with their sacrifices? He went and made them all moot by sticking to his arrogance and dying! While I may loathe vain sacrifices, I hate it even more when those fallen people are disrespected after death! So imagine my surprise when you showed up Mew, and even though you at first invoked painful memories when I saw you staring at me with concern in your eyes and a heartwarming smile that graced my presence I believed that I was finally being thrown a bone and that I would finally be able to have the family we should've had while Alex was around!"

"Please tell me all of this is getting through to you Mew!" Driad tops off his drawn-out exclamations with a plea directed towards my somber expression. I was stunned, and though both my eyes and ears focused on his expressions and words as they shifted from teary-eyed disbelief to a furious rejection of the moments he did spend with the late Alex Whiter I had no idea just what to say to make Driad feel better. Though he made his point loud and clear, I just didn't know what he was expecting me to say to calm him out of his current state of flurried emotions. I let out a sigh only to relieve the burden of everything around me so I could concentrate and think things through some more, but the Crayzee Dayzee misconstrued my reaction as a sign of annoyance at everything he said and promptly yelled out to me "HOW DARE YOU!"

With my head hung low I only had the sound of bending metal to alert me that Driad took his right vine and punched a dent into the nearby wall. Before things spun out of control any further than they already were, I lifted my head up and said with blunt honesty "Driad! I don't know what to say to make you feel any better! A simple apology isn't going to help you accept your Shadow!" I said it without realizing it, and by the time I did and widened my eyes to peer into Driad's silent, shaking head I knew that those weren't the right words to use, and that was a subject that I didn't need to bring to his attention. It was far too late to take it back though…

"…Mew, I don't want an apology, the time for that has long since passed after Alex abandoned us by killing himself. Yeah, that's right, I KNOW about all that, Alpha told us not long after we arrived. You know what you are now, you know that you aren't an exact copy of Alex's personality, that you are your own person with your own emotions and life to have…So I want you to look straight into my eyes, and tell me with absolute honesty that you won't let yourself be consumed by arrogance, anger, or anything of the sort ever again, and that after this whole thing with Mr. Reality blows over that you WILL come back to Mario's house and we can finally be a family again. Please Mew, I…I just don't want you to die…I don't know what I would do if I lost you too."

Driad held back the tears as hard as he could at the end of his last sentence, but he eventually had no choice but to let out a light sniffle and let a few of them trickle down his cheeks. With this melancholy mood now perfectly setup, I folded my hands together above the center of my criss-cross leg pose and turned towards the Crayzee Dayzee. "Driad…" I said to gain his attention so our eyes would meet as I continued to speak to him. "I came back to you now, didn't I? Unlike Alex, I accepted the help of someone else to conquer my negativity and managed to deal with the two temples after that. But you want to know why I was able to do it? Because I knew I had hurt you and everyone else emotionally back at the house. I was so motivated by my guilt that I pushed myself to stay alive just so I could return to you and genuinely apologize for my grave mistake. Driad, I really do care for you, and I'd truly like nothing more than to come back alive from the final battle against Mr. Reality…You know what? You have my word. We will be a family, and so help me God if anything stops that from happening I will do everything in my power to make the one responsible pay for their misdeeds."

My tone never once broke. There could never have been a more genuine decree in all of the world, nay, not even in the entire universe was such a promise ever given. Driad looked at me happily, shedding his anger and depression completely as blissful tears ran down his cheeks, carrying with them the discarded remains of his doubts towards me as he quickly spread his arms out and leaped at me, wrapping his vines tightly around my body and pressing his face close to my chest to feel my warm, beating heart and make the final confirmation that I was going to be true to my word.

I did nothing to stop him, for not only was there no reason for me to do so but if I even budged suspiciously Driad would instantly go back to disbelieving me. I wanted his full trust, not to manipulate him or lower his guard, but because if I were to ever lose his trust then that's when I knew I had crossed the line for good. However, I felt that it was at least right for me to share in this warm embrace, and after pulling my arms through the grip of his vines I wrapped them around his youthful form, never letting go until we were both satisfied with ourselves and pulled away. This action happened in unison, leaving no doubt that this was a successful endeavor on both ends, as our perky smiles would indicate. And with that all out of the way, we could act like we normally would, which I started off by saying "So where are the others right now?"

"Umm…I don't recall actually. Gemini and Mallow walked off together, but then I saw Mallow wandering the hallways before I arrived here, so he might be lost. Luigi was just hanging around the hangar, and E. Gadd went off with Alpha and asked not to be disturbed for a bit. Why do you ask?" After thinking about their locations for a moment, Driad topped his inquiry off with a smile. "I was planning on talking with them before I had breakfast…Don't think I'll get them all, but its worth a shot at the very least…" Driad jumped off the bed to give me room to push my legs off of. I get up, leaving the bed unkempt behind me as the two of us head for the door.

Driad depart for the left after saying goodbye, while I head off to the right without remembering to alert the Crayzee Dayzee about where the end of the hallway leads to. I didn't know how to navigate these metallic corridors, but I figured if I ran into Gemini or Florence or one of the other non-Mook characters I would get some convenient answers to my conundrum. I walked around, going down every hallway I came across without any idea about where they would lead. I knew nothing about how long I was walking for, but if I had to make a prediction I'd say I had gone five minutes without running into anyone. This was likely because it was breakfast time, and Alpha DID make mention of a cafeteria.

"You really think he would've set some signs up or something…" I said as I peeked my head to the right and then the left to see where to go next. "Its like he expects the people he recruits to remember every hallway and door with ease." Speaking of doors, I guess I should mention that each hallway has so far been lined with hundreds of doors spread two feet apart from each other. It really made me wonder just how big the M.S.I. base truly was, or how many miles it covered across whatever landscape it existed in. "Hey! Can anyone hear me?" I finally decided to yell out, hoping my echo would be carried across the hallways until it reached someone's eardrums. As the sound slowly faded away, I stood still and waited a few seconds for a response of any sort.

Eventually, I heard the repeated sounds of footsteps, and from around the corner in front of me appeared Mallow, who turned and stood still himself to confirm that he was really seeing me. Either he was surprised to see me looking happy, or he had been wandering for so long that he considered me to be an illusion brought on by a growing insanity. "Oh thank goodness your actually real, Mew." Mallow lets out a sigh of relief and speeds through a sentence, walking down towards me and asking "So, do you know where you are going or are you just as lost as I am?" I twitched a bit, trying to avoid admitting that the second one was true, but the cloud Prince with his incredible perceptiveness said to me "I'm leaning more towards the second one here…" While holding his right arm underneath his chin.

"Yeah, I really don't know where I'm going…" I giggled at my mistake and turned around, rubbing my head humorously before I subside my embarrassment and ask Mallow "How long have you been wandering around for?" in a gentle tone. "I…I don't know." The cloud Prince proceeds to quickly rub his head in a manner similar to my own. "Do you even remember how you got separated from Gemini?" "Actually, yeah. I was busy walking around with him, paying close attention to the designs of the walls in awe before Gemini came across one of his more mechanical companions and told me that he was splitting up here, but I was too busy with my own endeavors and didn't realize how far he had gone until it was too late…"

"And you couldn't find your way back to the hangar?" "I asked, seeing as that sounded like the most logically course of action. "Unfortunately, no. This place really reminds me of the Forest Maze, in that you can't really make it around without following a guide…" "What type of guide you

talking about exactly?" I inquired, since there was more than one definition of the word he could be using. "Oh right, you have those paperback guides or something back on Earth that told you how to go through our adventures. But no, I'm talking about a sentient guide in this case." Mallow found a bit of humor in our conversation, signified by his chuckle and overall cheerful demeanor.

"Anyways, lets just try and find the cafeteria. I'm pretty certain we are close to it, and from there it shouldn't be hard to get directions for the rest of the map." With the cloud Prince's suggestion, we stood side-by-side and began to walk through the hallways, still bewildered about where to go but at least now we had each other's company to make the trip less annoying to deal with. "So Mallow…Umm, I know this is a bit of sore subject to touch up upon, but when I fought you back at the Sky Palace…" "Oh, you mean when my 'Shadow' took me over and attacked you? Yeah, what about it?" Mallow interrupted swiftly, by my guess was that he did that just to confirm to me that he was aware of what happened there. Anyways, after flinching once in surprise I nodded to show acknowledgement of his inquiry before continuing onward.

"I have to admit I did subtly ask your parents about your…Well, confidence problems and…I was just wondering-" "There was really no way to word that without risking offending Mallow, but I couldn't bite my tongue and take back the questions I've asked. However, the cloud Prince interrupted once more after a surprising lighthearted chuckle. "Hehe…So that's why my parents were so quick to explain themselves to me after I woke up." I was shocked to hear Mallow responding so calmly and cheerfully, especially considering I expected him to try and dodge the issue. "Wait, so your dad told you the truth about why he wanted you to ascend to the throne?"

"Yep!" Mallow cheerfully responds to my disbelieved tone of voice. "And…And your ok, just like that?" I knew Mallow had a strong mind and heart, but to recover from such an issue that quickly… "Hey, why loom on the negative things in life? My low confidence was a flaw, yes, but after my father explained everything to me not only do I feel a lot less strife towards his decision I actually feel more confident about myself. After all, isn't that what parents are supposed to do? They care for you, build up your confidence, and give you the necessary skills needed to tackle whatever you want to in life. Knowing all that, how could I really stay mad?"

"Err…That's a rather mature way of handling that." I had to admit that, because that was the truth. I folded my arms in front of my chest, looking down at Mallow as he turned around and began walking backwards with his eyelids closed and an innocent smile on his face that would lead others to believe that there wasn't a mature individual hidden behind it. "Heh, thanks for the compliment. Of course, the problems with my 'Shadow' haven't been resolved fully, I still have a lot of growing to do both physically and mentally. I've made a good start though, don't you think?" Such a bundle of optimism Mallow is. He really will be a well-rounded king when he finally takes the throne, and I'll be glad to see the day when that happens.

"Yeah, you really have Mallow." Is what I chose to admit. Of course, with all the time we spent looking at each other, we were unaware of our immediate surroundings. In a matter of seconds, Mallow rams back first into a door, his squishy body causing him to rebound off the cold steel surface and allowing him to turn around and stop in place so he could see where we were at. My legs bumped against his turned back as I stopped, and after he flinched and I apologized for that hit I looked up and saw a glowing neon sign that said "Cafeteria". I wasn't about to question convenience here, especially when both of our stomachs were growling furiously.

With a press of the nearby button, the door swung open, revealing an expansive room filled to the brim with tables, chairs, and a multitude of Plit's creatures walking and sitting around while piling food into their hungry mouths. Seriously, it would take minutes to list off all the species found just in our line of sight, let alone throughout the entire room. The square pillars were separate by equal lengths, and the florescent lights kept the room feeling comforting at all times. Over the heads of some of the creatures I saw a massive, nearly half a mile long buffet table in the back of the room where a lot of other guys were lined up with dishes ready to take their food for consumption.

Mallow and I exchanged no words between ourselves, for we focused all of our efforts on trudging through the crowd, excusing ourselves so they could polite move out of the way if necessary until we reached the end of the buffet row together. It was a miracle that we didn't get swallowed whole by the crowd, but unlike a normal line-up of hungry consumers these soldiers were well-mannered, and a couple of them even offered to let us cut ahead of them when they were indecisive about what food they wanted to eat. Mallow and I stayed side by side the entire time as we walked along the lengthy table, grabbing a healthy plethora of foods that we were familiar with and proceeding towards the first empty table we could sit down at.

Along the way, I looked at my plate, which consisted of a warm sirloin steak alongside fluffy scrambled eggs and a smoked potato, and said to Mallow "You know, as much as I enjoyed the unique cuisine here on Plit, its nice to have some human food for once…Though I have to wonder why Alpha has that type of food lying around here?" We sat down on opposite ends of the table, and as Mallow moved his fork towards a cauliflower made entirely out of a cotton-like substance he looked at me and said "Beats me. Heck, Alpha has food here that only Nimbusians can digest, and yet I'm the only one of my kind here. And before you ask, I would be able to tell via feeling, not sight."

"I wasn't going to bother asking, actually." I responded honestly, lifting a juicy cut of steak into my mouth to begin chewing. "I see…" With that lone comment Mallow and I dug into our meals…Well, I guess I was the only one who did honestly. Since the cloud Prince is used to eloquent dinners and the like back at the Nimbus Palace, he was eating nice and slowly, savoring every bite as if they all held an equal amount of value to him. Of course, my ravenous ways could be chalked up to the fact that I hadn't eaten anything in over twenty-four hours. My stomach was a pit that needed to be filled, and fill it I shall. "You know what I've always wondered?" Mallow interrupted my feast with a question to grab my attention. I put my fork down and wiped the juice from my lips with a nearby napkin, ready afterwards to listen to my friend.

"The M.S.I. was a largely unknown organization before Gemini and Alpha got involved with us. Peach didn't know about it, mom and dad didn't know about it, and in general a lot of people on the planet never knew about this place even though their soldiers have gone out to assist the populace before…So considering all the food that Alpha has to supply his men, along with the work and materials it probably takes to keep this place functional…Where is he getting all the funding necessary to cover his expenses?" As he spoke Mallow look around the room, his eyes filled with intrigue in regards to the history of this place. I really had no definitive answer to that question, so I just took a random shot at it and said "Perhaps Alpha uncovered a gold coin deposit or something like that…I really don't know, that's something I'll ask him later."

I then looked down at my plate and realized that it was empty save for the puddle of juice that dripped out of my steak. I felt full, and that was a feeling that was going to leave me anytime soon. I stood up, grabbing Mallow's attention away from his surroundings as he perked hid eyelids up and asked me "You heading off?" "Yeah, I'm going to try and find Gemini or Luigi, since neither of them appear to be in this room." Having given my next objective, I turned to the cloud Prince with a bit of concern in my eyes and asked "Will you be able to find your way around without me?" Mallow gave me a reassuring nod, and before I made me way out he said to me "I'll meet up with you again before you head off to the final temple, alright?" To which I nodded towards him in return. After trudging through the conversing soldiers, I exited through the cafeteria's doors, hoping that I would run into Gemini without getting lost…

_Next Time: The Two of Thunde_


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: The Final Break III: Gemini and Luigi**

"Come on Gemini, where are you?" I murmured to myself as I wandered down the hallways. "Luigi? Luiiiiigi?" I cupped my right over around my mouth to increase the range of my voice, but to no avail. I rounded a corner, and I didn't hear the sound of footsteps to indicate that anyone was around. "Bah, either neither of them are around or they are standing perfectly still." I folded my arms in front of my chest and stood still to try and think of a plan. "Come on, there has to be a way to make my job easier…" After a few seconds of thinking I widen my eyes and promptly smack my forehead with the palm of my right hand.

I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner, though in all honesty after using the Elemental Forms for so long I had almost forgotten that I could use the elements in my base form. "I'll try and get a lock onto the electricity inside of Gemini's body." I close my eyelids and hold my hand outward at the center of the junction like a magnet. Concentrating on the air around me, I feel a light, static pulse coming from the left. My arm begins to move on its own towards that direction, but I follow through soon enough with ease. "Ok, lets go this way." I keep my arm out as I walk, just in case Gemini changes locations.

The corridor is longer than all the others I've traversed thus far, the lights flickering on and off consistently thanks to the pulse coming from my hand. "Hopefully the lights will signal Gemini of my presence…Or they'll put him on guard. Hmm, still, I have to keep this up or I'll lose him." I sensed that I was getting closer to my target, and hastened the pace. I began to hear footsteps in the distance, but after a few seconds the lights up ahead suddenly broke apart, leaving a portion of the corridor pitch black in darkness. "Hmm?" I was rendered curious by a figure I saw hanging in the distance who did not share the build of either Gemini, Florence or Alpha. He appeared slender, kind of like a human, but with a more rounded head.

I lowered my arm, stopping my advance as my warning senses perked in my mind and told me "This isn't anyone you are familiar with…" Within seconds of continuous caution, the figure makes a move, swinging his right arm outward as if he was making a pitch and tossing an object that spins around rapidly like a discus and nearly shaves off the top layer of my hair as it passes overhead. I notice its flight curving upward before it gets near me, and after a quick turn around I watch as the object impales itself through the closest light on the ceiling behind me. A loud crash is heard as sparkles of electricity spread out like rain, followed by the clinks of glass against the floor.

The object is illuminated by the electricity flowing through it for a few seconds, and I realize then and there that it is an axe with a slick, red metal head. "Wait a second…Could it be-" As I was about to top my sentence off with a question with a tone of familiarity I am leapt at through the darkness by this mysterious assailant, his right arm connecting with my chest as he knocks me to the ground and pins me on my stomach. The feeling of nausea that rang through my stomach from the impact wasn't welcome, especially considering all the food I ate earlier. The being grabs my right arm and forcibly pulls it behind my back, recognizing that it is the one I wield my sword in and incapacitating it so I couldn't use it against him.

His touch felt cold, with a texture similar to that of smoothed steel. I was being attacked by a machine, and with the appearance of the axe it didn't take long to put two and two together about the identity of my assailant. However, I had to make sure that I would live long enough to say it, so I first needed to get out of this situation. "You know, if you think I need full use of my right hand to fight back, you are sorely mistaken…" I say, grunting through the pain brought by the forced bending of my arm before squinting my eyelids and focusing all of my efforts into generating electricity through my body. I didn't need a source to draw the electricity from thankfully, and in a matter of seconds I was surrounded by a field that shocked my assailant through the arm and forced him to quickly withdraw the moment his limb began to spasm.

After the weight of his body had vanished, I quickly got up and drew my sword, making certain that the length of the blade wouldn't tear up the walls nearby. Looking ahead of me, I saw the being shake his right hand around while his left hand was wrapped around the wrist. His slender body had black leather legs with metallic red boots attached to the bottom, and the cylindrical gauntlets behind his white hands were connected to similar limbs as the legs. His oval-shaped head was topped with a spike, his pipe-like mouth showing no activity as his eyelids creak halfway shut. "I don't know what you are thinking Axem Red, but I won't let you get the drop on me again."

"Yeah? Well I won't let you advance any further, intruder!" That last word made me widen my eyes in confused surprise. I mean really, a remnant of Smithy's forces is accusing me of intrusion? Wait, don't tell me that- "Break it up you two…These hallways weren't made for fighting." The lights turned back on save for the one above me, and the axe impaled into that one is pulled out by magnetism and brought back into Axem Red's right hand as he raises his left one to salute the being standing behind me. The voice belonged to Gemini, who walks past me without much acknowledgement besides a simple glare from the corner of his eyes before he then chooses to stand before Axem Red.

"Sir, I'm sorry for any damage to the building, I was just assuming that this guy was an intruder, sir!" Axem Red was being surprisingly obedient towards Gemini, especially evident by him giving him the respectively title of "Sir" twice in the same sentence. As I stood there frozen by my own self-brought confusion, Gemini said to the Axem Ranger "At ease Warrant Officer Red" Raising his left hand in order to get him to lower his current stance. "He's a friend of ours. In fact, he-" Gemini lowers his head towards what I assume to be Red's hearing receptors and begins quickly whispering a bunch of information, the machine's facial expressions changing to show surprise and understanding depending on what was said. A few seconds and a couple mumbled responses from Red later, and Gemini lifts his head back to allow the machine to nod at him.

He then turns towards me and apologizes for his behavior "Forgive me young Overlord, I didn't recognize you, that's all." With the politeness of his voice assuring me of his true allegiance, I dispelled my sword and nervously rubbed the back of my head. "Umm…Yeah, its ok, I guess." I was still a bit surprised to see Axem Red here, but the machine didn't take any offense to my comment and after a nod he turned to Gemini and asked him "So, now that this is all sorted out, anything I can do to start the morning off?" "Yeah, the inventory guy has been sent to the infirmary with a cold, so could you head on over there and take count of everything in the weapons deposit?" "That I can do, thank you very much Gemini." And with that, Axem Red scurried on, tucking his axe onto a metal plate on his back as he passes by.

I looked at my left hand, muttering to myself "Stupid magnetism" as I realized I was lured towards the plate on Red's back, and then turned towards Gemini as he in turn swerved around towards me with a sly grin on his face and his arms folded in front of his chest once more. "Ok…I-I need a moment to comprehend this…" I said as I waved my right arm towards the Koopa and tapped my left fingers against my forehead, bewilderment still plaguing my mind. After recovering and presenting myself in a more composed manner, I let you a heavy breath and asked Gemini "So…Mind explaining to me why Axem Red is working for you guys?'

"Yeah, that's not something you would have known about, would it?" Gemini starts the explanation off with a rhetorical question. "You see, we captured Axem Red a year ago during the whole Apocalypse Royale Fiasco-" "Apocalypse Royale?" I interrupted the Koopa for a moment just to get some clarification on the name. "Basically, the group Cackletta, Dimentio, Smithy and the Dark King were a part of." He politely answered, and after I calmly went "Oh, ok then…" Despite how shocking that news would've been for other people the Lieutenant continued on his way. "Anyways, Alpha got the information out of him about Smithy's location, while at the same time convincing him that Smithy didn't care about his existence, which was more than enough to get him to switch allegiances."

"And Smithy didn't blow him up for that treason…Why?" It was a legitimate question, especially since even though the machine king was a madman I figured he would at least have enough brains left within him to think ahead on such a matter. "Well besides the fact that he was busy dealing with me and Mallow, Alpha removed the bomb from Axem Red. I got to admit though, considering how much hatred I kept towards Smithy for a while after his permanent demise, I really did warm up to Axem Red joining our organization. Pardon the pun here, but while he may have been a bit rusty at the start he has been working up the ranks dutifully."

"Well…I guess if you can trust him considering the circumstances after Smithy's demise, then I guess I can trust him too." I said in agreement of Gemini's viewpoint. "Not like there really is a reason to distrust him now." "That's true." With that exchange of words, everything was off to a good start. "So how are you doing?" I asked. "Pretty well. Its nice to finally be back in my element after almost a week away. Besides being lost, how are you holding up?" "Err…Rather well actually. In fact, speaking of my condition, I just want to say sorry for-" Gemini raises his hand up to stop me mid-sentence, calmly blinking as he lowers his arms beside him and says to me "Its fine Mew, I don't hold any resentment towards what happened yesterday."

He opens his eyelids up and folds his arms back in front of his chest with a brimming smile on his face. "After all, what type of friends would we be if we didn't learn to forgive each other?" "Rather intolerant friends, that's for certain." I said with a hint of sarcasm, which caused Gemini to chuckle lightly at the remark. "Ha, I guess you got a point there." "Also, I wasn't really lost…I was trying to find either you or Luigi, and I figured one of you had to have been wandering the hallways." "Oh?" The Koopa seemed surprised by my motive in wandering about, and with a helpful look in his eyes he said to me "Didn't Alpha tell you about the Tracker Map?"

"The Tracker Map?" I asked in confusion. "Yeah. You came from the cafeteria, right? Its not far away from the front door, and it allows one to find out where a certain M.S.I. member is via a specific genetic scanner built into all the cameras so long as you know their code name. The screen then pops out a miniature G.P.S. device that allows you to navigate the halls until you find them. You can also get a map of the corridors from there if you just want to get to a specific room or whatever." By the time Gemini's explanation was done, I had applied my left hand to my forehead and began calling myself an idiot via my mind for not being attentive in the cafeteria.

"Hey, in all fairness to you Mew, its not easily noticeable, especially during the breakfast, lunch and dinner rushes." Thankfully, Gemini was there to comfort me with an empathetic message. "Whew, well that's a relief." I sigh and raise my head up, my spirits high once more. However, by this time Gemini now has a rather grim look in his eyes, a somber mood overcoming his expression as he gazes back and forth to make sure that no one else is in the area. "Ok, good…" Is a whisper that grazes my eardrum before he looks back at me and says "Mew, what I'm about to tell you cannot be told to anyone else, especially since you were the only other one to see my 'Shadow'."

I do admit, I was rather surprised to see Gemini taking the initiative towards bringing up the incident with his 'Shadow'. "But wait, what about the cameras?" I asked, especially now that the Lieutenant made note of the "Tracker Map" and all. "I shut them down already. Besides, this hallway is pretty deep into the base, so no one bar a few soldiers would even bother coming this way, and the breakfast hour is still going strong. Anyways, listen to me…" After derailing what he wanted to discuss momentarily Gemini returns to the prior topic strongly, his gaze as serious as it ever has been. "Actually, I guess I better start from the beginning of this whole thing…"

"Ok, you know about Koopa Village, right?" "Yeah." I answered. "Ok. You see, before I came to the M.S.I. I was just a normal citizen living there with my best friend Kooper and this young gal named Kaylie." "You were friends with Kooper?" "WILL YOU LET ME FINISH?!" My innocent inquiry is given a harsh rebuttal by Gemini, whose impatient outburst zips my lips shut so he can continue without further interruptions…Once he calmed down, that is. "Anyways. We lived a peaceful life together, and no one could've suspected the events that would occur to ruin that peace forever. Bowyer, one of Smithy's generals, attacked and captured me as I was going home one night, and brought me to Smithy's Factory."

"There I was placed in a lab and forced to have a demon heart transplanted into my body, since apparently the enzymes in my shell would mix with the blood of the heart and cause me to gain the power of electricity…I don't really recall the details on that one. Anyways, after becoming a demon/Koopa hybrid I busted out of Smithy's factory and made crash landed in Koopa Village, where I was attacked by my villagers including my best friend, who didn't recognize me until Kaylie stood up to them. However, events led to me willingly banish myself before my mutation spread further and caused me to kill everyone there. Now, this is a point where its fine for you to acknowledge what I'm saying. You see the scarf I wear?" He says, pointing at the red scarf on his left arm. I nod to show that my attention is focused towards it.

"That was a gift from Kooper, and my primary source of motivation in this world. I've NEVER scarred or got blood on this scarf, just to honor the memory of our friendship. Kaylie gave me a picture of our younger years that I've kept in my shell through many battles, pulling it out every now and then and wondering how they have been holding up. So I wandered the world after my self-imposed exile until I reached a desert, where Alpha found me and convinced me to follow him back to the M.S.I. base. There he removed all of my demon flesh and grafted mechanical parts on my body that allowed me to take on a more normal appearance."

"I then took the name of Gemini, discarding the existence of my former name Koopis until I could one day go back to Koopa Village and tell them that I was in control of my demonic heart. Well as fate would have it, many years later when Tabuu invaded Plit one of his Subspace Orbs was predicted to spawn near Koopa Village. Worried about my former home's safety, I brashly rushed there and introduced myself as Gemini the Lieutenant, not Koopis. I helped them fight off the Subspace Army, but when one of Tabuu's strongest generals appeared and knocked out Kooper and threatened Kaylie's life, I cast aside any doubts, went into my Star Spirits empowered form, and boldly declared that I was Koopis to not just the Subspace Army, but to every one of the villagers that were within earshot."

"In the aftermath of Tabuu's invasion, I reconciled with everyone for a bit, having a good time just like the days of old until Alpha called me up and asked me to help with the clean up. It was a sad departure, but this time there was a little more hope about all of us reuniting again someday. However…Its been a year since then, and I haven't been back to Koopa Village. I do know a few things about how the two of them have been doing, but otherwise nothing else. You see, that's what my 'Shadow' was bugging me about before you arrived. He was telling me that 'I had a difficulty deciding where I wanted to go' and 'I didn't know what I wanted to be'. And honestly, no matter how much I denied that he was me, I knew he was right."

"But its not really an easy issue to handle. While I'd love to go back and settle into life at Koopa Village again, it has been seven years since I left there. All of us have grown up and gone down our separate roads by now, and not only do I have duties to fulfill as a Lieutenant of the M.S.I. but I feel I still owe Alpha greatly for turning my life around when I was probably inches away from becoming an unrecognizable, berserk demon. Basically, it all amounts down to a confliction between responsibility and the bonds I'd like to rekindle. So while you are here, I was hoping that maybe you'd be able to offer me a little insight into what I should do?"

It took longer than expected for Gemini to detail his backstory and problems to me, and I could tell that he rushed through some parts of the story to avoid wasting time so no one would end up listening to even a fraction of what he had to say. However, this wasn't a subject I was very familiar with. But just by looking at the Lieutenant's tranquil eyes I could see deep down that he wanted me to give him at least some type of answer, even if it isn't the most helpful one. "Well Gemini, since you want my honest opinion on your situation, here is what I got to say."

"First off, its nice to know that you took initiative by thinking about the benefits of choosing either side. However, I have to admit that its really not up to me to make the final decision on where you should choose to either go or stay. You have to be happy with your decision, and from the sounds of things the only thing keeping you here is that you feel obligated to Alpha for saving your life and thus want to repay him with that new life in return. So if you believe that you should go have a life again at Koopa Village, and reconcile with your old friends, then just go ask Alpha about it and see if he can maybe work something out. After all, with all the people that work at the M.S.I., not the mention the communicators and all, I'm pretty certain Alpha would at least allow you to go out every now and then to say hi to them, right?"

It was the best, honest answer I could give, which I ended off with a question that Gemini needed to answer to confirm to me that he would be able to make the right decision later down the road. "You…You got a good point actually." He admitted as he rubbed his chin with his right hand, intrigued by my idea. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind and ask him after this Mr. Reality scenario settles down." Gemini walks over to me and raises one hand to pat me on the shoulder, keeping his face within the proper distance as he smiles and says "Thanks for the help Mew." Before letting go and continuing his stride without ever looking back.

However, I turn around and ask him "So, where are you heading off to now?" In a subdued tone of voice. He raises his left hand up and says in response "I'm going to find Florence and get some breakfast, since I promised him we would get some after I talked with you. Oh, and since you wanted to talk to Luigi too…Go down the hallway I'm heading, but take a left and take a right at the second hallway you see afterwards and you'll reach the hangar. If he isn't there, there is another 'Tracker Map' nearby, so just find me again and I'll help you locate him. For now though, fare thee well." With that rather medieval toned departure Gemini disappeared into the shadows of the hallway, leaving me to my own business.

I followed his directions, keeping my hands in my pockets and whistling a merry tune as I traversed the hallways in search of Luigi. "Man, I wonder how difficult it is for everyone here to wander around after the meal hours pass? These corridors may be a bit on the wide side, but I'd imagine hundreds of guys leaving the cafeteria at once would make them feel crowded rather quickly." That was a thought of mine that I was hoping to never see come to fruition while I was here. I took a right down the second hallway like Gemini said I should, and at the end was an open doorway to a massive room filled to the brim with a variety of vehicles both conventional and military.

"Helicopters, tanks, cars, and even motorcycles…" I listed off a few of the many vehicles, glaring around the room as my footsteps echo off of the metal paneled flooring. "What use would Alpha…Actually, what use would most of the soldiers here have for these things? This room just seems like a waste of space, honestly." Delivering my final verdict on this hangar, I continued walking around the vast room, looking around for any signs of the man in green to no avail at first. However, the moment I stop in place to think about where he might be I hear footsteps edging ever closer to me. I turn around, and standing in place with a shocked expression on his face and his arms folded in such a way that his right elbow is pressing against his left arm as he bears his knuckles against his chin is Luigi.

"Oh thank goodness its only you Mew. I thought someone was trying to break into this place for a moment…" That man in green calmly states, lowering his limbs down and letting out a heavy sigh. "Honestly, I think Alpha probably setup this vehicles to activate and bombard anyone who intrudes through here. That sounds like something he would do." Though I was partly serious with my remark, it garnered a laugh from Luigi all the same. "Heh, yeah, you're probably right." I quickly followed up on his comment by asking him "So what are you doing here all by your lonesome?" The man in green takes another breath and turns his body, allowing himself to fall back and lean against the side of a nearby armored van while he takes his right hand up to the lip of his cap and grasps it.

"I was trying to get away from everyone for a bit. I needed a break, especially after the conundrum YOU left me to deal with yesterday…" His emphasis on the "You" was directed towards me, and after that obvious thing was figured out I swiftly yet nervously apologized for my involvement in Luigi's current state of exhaustion. "Don't worry about it…Its just that, well…" Luigi gets up and lets go of his cap, walking forward a bit and looking straight into a reflective surface of a polished crimson red copter that just happened to be lying about. From that reflection I could see a the faint melancholy look in his eyes, and instantly knew what he was thinking about. "You really miss Mario, don't you?"

Out of all the heroes from our journey, Mr. Reality chose to make it so Mario would be the last one I would rescue from the influence of the 'Midnight Channel', and out of all of us the impact of his disappearance weighed heavily on Luigi the most. "Yeah, I do…" The man in green plants his right hand against the side of the copter. I didn't even want to imagine what he was thinking as he looked into that reflection of himself, because after another sigh he said to me "I never realized how hard it was…" He moved his hand away and turned towards me as I piqued my eyes in curiosity and waited for him to continue his sentence. "Ever since you freed me, I've not only had to be myself, but I also had to become like my brother. I had to keep the tensions low between everyone, be optimistic at all times, and never show any signs of giving up."

"Those last two were the hardest to maintain, because deep down something is telling me that this whole thing with Mr. Reality is NOT going to end well. I-I just don't know how my bro does it each and every day. How he always maintains such vigilance in the face of such unspeakable odds, how he always keep the groups he travels with from bickering amongst one another, or how he always keeps a smile on that people look up to during grim times…Heh, its like Alpha once said…If anyone wanted to break Plit emotionally, all they would have to do is kill my brother…"

"Yeah, but do you honestly think that's going to happen?" I said, trying to shed some of my optimism onto the somewhat depressed Luigi in hopes of lightening his mood, only for him to look away from me and say. "Dark Kings, witches, one-dimensional lords and now reality benders…The threats that are coming to this planet are increase in both scale and power…We've gotten lucky as far as casualties go, but eventually something is going to have to give…" "Well that's why we Elemental Overlords exist Luigi. To keep the type of threats in-check that the planet's heroes can't handle normally. Trust me, I may not have as strong of a connection to Mario as you do, but he is still a friend, and I'm not going to let him die under any circumstances."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29: The Final Break IV: The Meltdown**

I ran through the hallways, swinging my arms outward and only raising the one with the GPS panel in it to make sure I was heading in the right direction. Despite the urgency in Alpha's voice, there were no sirens going off in the base, signifying that whatever problem was happening in the world it was something for only me to worry about. "Almost there, just another right and…" With a sharp turn of the body I nearly slipped across the floor, but recovered and continued on my way towards the door I needed to reach. The blip that indicated the Command Sphere's location pulsated rapidly, a ringing noise coming that led into a drawn out, blaring noise. One had to wonder how sound could come from this simple holographic plate, but alas that was not something I would find an answer for today.

I reached the door at the end and watched it slide open on its own, and I entered the room it kept protected. I was immediately greeted hundreds of images spread across an equal amount of computer screens, a few of them blaring red with warning symbol and a couple klaxons ringing in through my ears. _"Warning! Warning! Corrosive Elements Detected in Nova Cesspool! Side-Effects on a Planetary Scale Predicted to occur in Seven Hours. Warning! Warning!"_ "I get it already you damn machine, now can you just shut up and let me think?!" Alpha's angered voice responds to the alarm, and he Commander proceeds to pound the left arm of his chair in righteous fury at the top of the staircase in front of me.

"Alpha, I'm here! What's going on?!" I called out to grab his attention, carelessly discarding the GPS off to the side and causing it to shatter against the nearby wall. The alarms finally die down thanks to a successful button press from Alpha's right hand, and as he releases a heavy sigh the Commander flips his chair around and says to me "Thank god you finally arrived, I was getting sick of having to listen to that alarm." "Yeah…I heard it mention the Nova Cesspool though…What's going on there?" I inquired, to which Alpha responded to by waving his right hand to get me to climb the stairs and join him at his side as he began explaining what he knew.

"Its not looking good Mew…That damn reality bender really messed things up by trying to use that 'Midnight Channel' for his sick little game." "Huh? How so?" I asked. "I believe you briefly mentioned how Mr. Reality restored parts of the elemental temples back to their former glory, right? Well, the later temples such as the Terra Cave and Frozen Palace were not fully restored even though they really should have been. That's because the 'Midnight Channel' is overriding the changes Mr. Reality has performed on the world." "Wait, it can do that?" I asked. It didn't really sound like a plausible scenario, especially since reality benders should logically be above all other things in the universe.

"If left unchecked, yes it can. You see, the 'Midnight Channel' is not of this world. Hell, its not even of this dimension! It's a foreign realm, and by merging it with an existing planet that reality bender has allowed the corrosive elements present in the realm to invade into our world. The temples slowly became ruined again, and eventually the landscapes surrounding them have begun to degrade as well. That's really not good in the case of the Nova Cesspool. Underneath the layers of toxins and solidified magma exists a massive lava bed. The solidified magma helped stop the heat from the lava from creating a draft that would spread the toxins into the clouds above and create acid rain, but now that those layers are corroding I believed that the toxins would spread out and we'd have something big on our hands to deal with…"

Alpha points to one screen on the upper left corner of the array of computer monitors, which shows an overhead view of the Nova Cesspool. The damage to the landscape is pretty easily noticed, but the main thing he has me look at is the thin energy barrier spread around the perimeter of the land. "However, it appears that the reality bender sent up a barrier to stop the toxins from getting out. All of them have floated up against the ceiling of the barrier, so you shouldn't have to grab one of our breathing apparatus' or use your wind powers as you traverse the Cesspool. But, there is another crisis we need to worry about…"

Alpha refers to another screen, and he stretches his arms outward and types across the keyboard to quickly get some video feed of the current condition of the Nova Cesspool up. I am immediately greeted by a shot of a melting bridge collapsing straight into a bubbling lava pit, the bubbles that rise up bursting and spreading drops of molten liquid around in all directions. After a few seconds of close examination, I noticed that the lava lake appeared to be sinking. "You see, the corrosion of the planet is affecting the plates and crust, causing the lava to sink lower and lower into the planet with every passing hour. The effect is slow right now, but if you don't free the world from the last bit of the 'Midnight Channel's' influence within seven hours…"

Alpha rapidly types onto the keyboard, his fingers moving like a well-conducted orchestra until all the of screens above go blank. They are then replaced with a two-dimensional image of the planet's insides in relation to the current state of affairs. As the Commander clicks down on a few more keys time speeds up, the effects of corrosion increasing tenfold until it reaches the molten core. "Then the magma from the Nova Cesspool will reach the planet's core. Now that by itself isn't anything deadly, but I fear that considering the unknown nature of the realm that even physics themselves will corrode under the 'Midnight Channel's' influence. Gravity will become non-existent, and the planet's magma core will rise to the surface, spreading out and burning the entire planet until nothing exists."

"You sure about that? It seems to me like you may be looking at the worst case scenario here Alpha." I said, not very fazed by the Commander's deduction considering how ludicrous it all sounded. "Well it is highly possible that I'm wrong about how far the corrosion will go into the planet, but there is one thing I know for certain…You have to get through the Ignitor Cave in the next four hours, or the corrosion will cause lava to flood into the inner guardian chamber, rendering it impossible to release the last energy reserve." That right there was enough to garner a reaction of fear and shock from me, as I froze in place and followed-up on Alpha's grim sentence by saying "And then Mario would be burned alive as well…"

"Exactly." Alpha said in agreement as he rest his mechanical limbs against the arms of his chair and turned it around, giving it a light jiggle to alert me to move to avoid being knocked off the pedestal. "I think what really pisses me off here is that it wouldn't be too hard for that reality bender to fix the planet. I believe the only reason he isn't is so he can impose a time limit to get you back out there as soon as possible. In other words, he's impatient…And if I'm not mistaken, he might be getting bored of things and wants to get to the endgame as soon as possible, whatever that may be." "Wait, the endgame? But save for a rematch against him the game will be over after the Ignitor Cave, so why are you wondering what the endgame might be?"

Alpha's comment made little sense in light of what I just said, but after slinking into a pose of silent pondering the Commander turns around and after a few seconds he says to me "Do you really think it'll end with the return of the seven elements and the cleansing of the planet? Everything thus far has been orchestrated so the reality bender could see you go through the journey you did before, but in an entirely new way. If he is truly going for accuracy, then there will be one more location for you to traverse after the Ignitor Cave…"

"You don't think that he would rebuild the Origin Temple, do you?" It was an inquiry that got Alpha eerily silent once more, and after a quiet, rough grumble he admits to me "Who knows what that alien will do anymore…He is clearly off his rocker, especially with what might happen in the Nova Cesspool. I swear though, if he revives the Genesis Samurais to use as his puppets…" The mere mention of that group's name caused me to grimace in anger at the thought of Mr. Reality dishonoring the seven samurais' sacrifices by bringing them back to fight against me. I clenched my right fingers into a fist as hard as I could, gritting my teeth and promising to Alpha "If it comes down to that, then that bastard isn't going to live by the end of this"

"He shouldn't be kept alive anyways Mew…His powers are a threat not just to our planet, but to the rest of the universe and especially himself. Killing him would prevent a greater disaster later down the road…" Alpha was detailing his view on the whole matter, and while I do agree that Mr. Reality is a threat, there was something I had to point out to the Commander even though my choice of words would earn some ire from him "Alpha, until he is proven to be a completely irredeemable monster I'm not going to kill him, ok? After all, he DID show disgust towards Cackletta's actions and allowed you to kill her, so he can't be all that bad."

"…If that's the type of morality you wish to have Mew, that's fine." Alpha says, showing a surprising bit of acceptance towards my point of view. However, he turns around and glares at me with his eyebrow arched, saying sternly "However, if for whatever reason I'm given any, and I mean ANY opening to end that alien's life, I will take it. And I'm pretty certain you won't be able to hold most of the others back if they want to take a shot at him. So you better hope that your faith in that reality bender doesn't come back to bite you later on." After calmly giving me a piece of his mind, the Commander swerves his chair back around and looks back up at the computer screens as they revert back to normal.

"Though before you go, I think you should go find E. Gadd and give him that piece of the tablet so he can at least connect it to the rest while you are gone." The Commander suggested to me as I began to turn around and head down the stairway. I tilted my head over my left shoulder, looking at the back of his chair and asking "Oh, where is he?" "Right here my good lad." That elderly tone enriched with wisdom alerts me to the professor's presence, and I turn my head to the left to respond to the voice and am surprised to find him standing precariously on the ground beside the bottom ring of the pedestal. "Professor? What are you doing down there?" I ask as I leap down beside him.

"Ohohoho…" He starts off with his usual jolly laughter. "I've just been busy examining the structural integrity of Alpha's machinery, since he kindly requested I do so. So far everything seems to be sound!" The second sentence was directed towards the Commander himself, and the Professor turns his head towards the chair he sits in and waits for a response, which comes in the form of a gracious "Thank you for your assistance E. Gadd. I may have built most of this tech, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to get a second opinion on its condition." Afterwards the Professor turns back towards me, nudging his glasses back into alignment before continuing to speak.

"So, I'm guessing Alpha gave you the tablet piece already?" He inquired. I nodded my head and reached into my pant's pocket, pulling the fragment out with ease and flicking it through the air over to the Professor, who grabs it and quickly averts his eyes away from me to look at the text inscribed on the stone. "I should note that Alpha wasn't able to translate it no matter how many languages he went through." "I see…I see…" E. Gadd responds to my warning with little attentiveness, his mind fully engulfed in the mysterious words that he was incapable of reading.

"Anyways, thanks for giving this to me Mew." The Professor says in a jolly manner, pushing the fragment into the pocket protector of his shirt and giving me another one of his laughs before lifting his head up and saying to me "I'll make sure to piece it all together for you to look at, so drop by my lab after you finish up in the Ignitor Cave. Right now though, I don't want to stall you with the trepid words of an old man, so go ahead and go save the world and what-not." Thankful to the Professor for understanding the situation, I nodded my head and smiled, turning towards the door and preparing to head off when Alpha had one more thing to say to me.

"Good luck Mew. I'll get the hangar doors open for you to fly out of." With that remark, I ran through the hallways, remembering the directions I took to get there from the hangar before. I didn't run into anyone along the way, leaving me without any distractions until I reached the hangar itself once more. I heard the loud creaking of the pistons and metal sliding along the floor, the large doors retracting from the center point into the walls, a vast, barren wasteland visible beyond the base. I could feel wind blowing in from afar, the skies appearing clear and ready for flight. Halfway through the retraction I began rushing towards the door, kicking my feet off the ground as I pass them and launch myself through the sky. Though I had no idea where the M.S.I. base was in relation to the Nova Cesspool, I figured that with my speed I'd be able to cover the skies quickly enough to find it. This was going to be the last temple, and the stakes couldn't possibly have been higher…

_Next Time: His True For_


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: The Fragment of Death and the Regretful Wanderer**

I sped through the air at a breakneck pace, the air pressing against all sides of my body as I move around in search of the Nova Cesspool. The one thing on my mind at the moment was "Even if I was on a time limit, I should've asked Alpha for directions…" Cause needless to say, I was ridiculously lost. "Then again, perhaps Alex should've paid attention to the environment changes outside the copter when he took it here, since then I would be able to use his memories to get there easily…" That was a really weird sentence to think about honestly, but that's something I'm going to have to get used to every time I end up reminiscing about his past.

And as I continued to fly around my eyes widened in place and I shifted my body upward, kicking my feet forward like brakes to slow myself down until I completely stop. "Why do I keep forgetting about my powers?" I grumble to myself as I quickly close my eyelids and try to get a feel for the heated updrafts coming from the lava lakes at the Nova Cesspool. Even though they were hot, the fact remained that at the core they were more based around the air element than the fire one. However, my focus towards the air allowed me to hear yet another message in the midst of the breeze. It was spoken in a rather chilling tone, devoid of any empathy as it said _"Your time is up, wandering interloper…"_

I then heard the echoing clangs of metal clashing against each other, along with the bubbling sounds of magma nearby. Something was going on at the Nova Cesspool, and as I creaked my eyelids open I managed to figure out where it was at and turned my body southwest and flew in that direction, hoping to make it in time to save whoever was fighting the owner of the chilling voice. I saw the rising cloud of toxic steam floating precariously in the distance, along with the barrier that Alpha pointed out to me earlier. With sheer focus and determination I pressed onward, pushing my body through the air at such speeds that the ripples I create by piercing through the barrier spread out through its entire width and length.

My form is immediately changed against my will, something I hadn't let happen since the first time at the Aqua Palace. I am now wearing a medieval knight's armor without the helmet, my icy blue hair frozen stiffly in place by permafrost as my chilling white eyes pierce through the superheated landscape. I instantly lower the temperature around me to the lowest possible degree to counteract the scathing temperature, keeping a firm grip on the crystalloid, icicle shaped lance in my right hand. I looked around, hoping to find some sign of a skirmish so I could step in and save whoever was in danger. However, the thick air made it difficult to see from this high of an elevation, so with a little hesitation I descended towards the safest part of the ground I could find.

I kept my landing silent, moving across the black, hardened magma floor as I try to lock my ears onto the sounds I heard earlier. "I hope I wasn't hallucinating…" I mumbled as I bent my head downwards to avoid accidentally tripping into a lava lake or something else equally painful. I took a few more steps towards the north, the familiar noise ringing in my ears once more for a few seconds and making me aware of just where the fight was occurring. I rushed off in that direction, holding my lance steadily over my back until I saw a flurry of sparks in the distance, signifying just how close I was to the conflict. I quickly hid behind a rock formation, peering my head out slightly so I can continue to watch without my presence being noted.

After lowering my power level to the lowest humanly possible, I waited for some of the smog to subside as I noted two figures clashing behind the thin veil. Only the illuminating red glow of the smallest figure's sword allowed me to see what was going on during that time. I finally saw the two fighters in their full appearances, and was shocked to know that I was able to recognize them both. Bearing the chilling aura of death itself was a being without a physical body, the area where its upper region and legs should be surrounded by five long strands of black cloth with hole punctured around the lower section of each one. They led up to a ruffled collar piece that had blood splattered around it, and beside the strands of cloth were a couple of well-kept sleeves that contained the thin limbs created by the very darkness itself. In the grasp of its left hand with a jagged, bloody scythe, which the being used to ward over the sword slashes from its opponent, and in the left hand was a revolver with a barrel as long as its arm itself. Spinning around the creature's stomach and chest regions were two chains that formed a cross in mid-air. Finally, the head of this being consisted of a series of wrapped around bandages that was kept on via a rope tightly wrapped around the neck, the only damage visible on them being an open hole that reveals a pale yellow eye and the decayed flesh surrounding it, and outside that hole was a wide streak of wet blood.

I couldn't believe who the second figure was though. Standing up like a normal human being would despite still wearing the cloak I was greatly familiar with was the Chronicler, in the grasp of his left hand was a familiar amber colored sword with two curves at the top. His face was still entirely obscured by the shadows cast via his hood, but there was no doubt in my mind about who the being truly was after seeing him in combat like this. At this very moment though, the Chronicler leaped at the creature floating before him, swinging his sword wildly in three directions to try and penetrate through the defense his scythe brought. His movements weren't as fast as they logically should have been, and I could tell that the Chronicler's body was fatigued while the second creature seemed completely unharmed.

The Chronicler kicked off of the blade of the creature's scythe, backflipping through the air as it raised its revolver up and shot a total of fifty shots in the span of five seconds, nearly all of them deflected into the ground by what appeared to be a single swing of the Chronicler's sword. However, two broke through his defensive slash, puncturing his cloak in both the left leg and right arm regions. The Chronicler landed on the ground, his body grimacing in pain before he kneels down, takes a few heavy breaths, and plants the tip of his sword against the ground beside him with only his one hand allowing him to maintain balance.

The creature raised his weapon once more, reloading his unholy array of ammunition with a simple click of the trigger. His barrel was aimed at the Chronicler's head, but one could imagine that with the way his gun worked he planned to puncture every part of his body simultaneously just to make certain that he stayed dead. But I couldn't let that happen, especially after the Chronicler had done so much for me. With no regards to my own life, I rushed out from my hiding place, standing before the Chronicler and at the very moment that the creature pulled the trigger I swung my lance outright, instantly creating a thick wall of ice designed to absorb all of the bullets, which considering the near-infinite amount fired was a very impressive yet very draining feat, especially since my skin had to bear the hellish chill radiating off of the creature's body.

When the ghoulish creature finally stopped firing, I allowed my shield to melt from the heat of the area and with my body firmed in stern defiance of the creature's otherworldly bloodlust and soul piercing glare I held my lance behind me, brandishing my left hand out to the side as I felt the Chronicler raise his body up, his presence now almost fully felt now that I was in close proximity to him. I looked up at the creature, stuffing my fear away long enough to match his glare with one of my own as I courageously asked him "Who are you and what the hell do you want with the Chronicler?" The creature responds to me not vocally, but mentally. Saying in an reverberating, ghastly tone of voice _"I am the Reaper, the inhuman personification of existence's desire for a permanent death…The being you have chosen to defend, Phoenix of Rejuvenation, is an affront to the cycle of life and death, and I have been tasked by the reality bender to purge him from this world so long as I maintain a corporeal form in the realm you have dubbed the 'Midnight Channel'"_

"Well I'm not going to let you kill him, so if you want to reap his life, then you will have to kill me too, and I'm pretty certain if you try and lay a hand on me the reality bender will remove you from the area, since he wants me to finish the game he has set up." I was taking a major risk by resting my hopes on this bluff of mine. I only had a limited amount of evidence to prove that Mr. Reality would remove the Reaper if it attacked me, after all. The ghoul raised its gun, its eye still focused on me as if it was ready to fight without a single care in the world. But then he showed some hesitation, lowering his gun an inch as he began to think about the consequences of his next action.

"_Rob myself of the chance to right this error by killing someone unrelated to the problem? Hmm…You raise a good point, Phoenix of Rejuvenation…" _The Reaper lowers his firearm and dispels his scythe in a spread of foggy black flames. He then arches his eyebrow and says to me with grim intent _"But your duties are misguided. By allowing this interloper to live, you have doomed many lives…And I will assure you that I shall take great pleasure in reaping each and every one of them, knowing full well that each one is a mark of failure on your own, ripe, neck…For now though, farewell…" _The Reaper implants his ominous warning into my mind, and vanishes without a trace in no spectacular fashion.

The chill coming from his body has vanished, and I feel like I am able to breathe normally without having to deal with his presence. I stand upright, holding my lance out in such a way that the tip pokes the ground below. I sense the Chronicler moving, and turn around to see him standing up straight, his body just as tall as my own. He begins moving towards the thick bridge that I remember seeing in my dream yesterday. But before I said anything he said to me "Thank you for saving my life…But I want you to forget what you saw here…We won't see each other again…" He dispels his sword and retracts his palm into his cloak ready to pull something out.

I take a few steps forward to get closer to him, holding my left hand out and with my heart thumping nervously in fear of what I was about to say to the 'Chronicler' my eyelids became heavy with sadness before the words escape my mouth against my will. "Please don't go yet. I want to talk to you…" There is a slight pause in my sentence, a single gulp downing a load of saliva through my throat before I top it off with the being's true name. "Alex Whiter." Upon saying that, the 'Chronicler' freezes entirely in place, his left hand halfway raised with a familiar stone glowing in his grasp. For a few seconds that felt like a few centuries, everything was silent save for the sounds of the bubbling magma.

Then, it was broken as the 'Chronicler' continues to raise his hand into the air. If it reached its peak height, then time would stop once more and he would escape and would likely never be seen again. I wasn't going to lose him, not when I finally had his identity pegged down. Without thinking, I dropped my lance down onto the uneven ground and rushed at the 'Chronicler'. I thrust my left arm out, latching my hand around his vulnerable wrist with such strength that his grip on the orb is loosened and it drops to the ground without its glow, revealing a simple black and bronze stone with a clock-like symbol engraved onto it. I said nothing to the 'Chronicler' as I stared at him in disappointment of what he was about to do, and I kept my hand around his wrist until he budged it to try and break free, at which point I let go and allowed him to lower his arm.

Backing off to give the being some privacy, I saw his limping left arm begin to twitch, raising up towards his hood nice and slowly. He doesn't say anything, already contradicting my dream as he continues to move his limb until he grabs the side of his hood. As lava erupts into the air on both sides of the bridge, the glow radiating off of them creates a shadow that covers the backside of the 'Chronicler's body, making the appearance of the back of his unknown for a few seconds as the hood drops behind his back. When it subsides, all I see is the person's long, brown, ruffled, almost hobo-like mullet reaching down through the neckline of his cloak. He slowly turns his head around, revealing a face that looked nearly identical to my own, only with rings around his eyes and signs of fatigue in his stare and a frown in his lips.

After a few seconds of keeping that pose, he turns his body around and finally pushes his right hand out through the appropriate sleeve, lifting it up so I can get a full view of the black leather glove wrapped around it, and the two magnetic plates that keep it strapped on. "I was really hoping that you wouldn't figure it out…So I have to ask…What tipped you off?" Alex speaks in a more natural tone of voice, which sounded very similar to my own if not a little more bitter and deeper. "Many things, honestly. You said that Mr. Reality can't affect the undead, yet he brought Cackletta back to life momentarily. You mentioned that 'Alex' got a glove on his right hand, and conveniently that was the hand you always kept hidden from me whenever we met before. You tried to make an excuse that you had a 'pen' powered by the elements, but the presence of the elements always came from your entire body."

"…I see…" Alex mumbled to himself, caring little now about how I figured it out as he bends down and swipes the stone he dropped into the grasp of his right hand. He carries it beside his hip, walking towards me without looking my way. He then passes me by, and I turn around and watch as he heads towards a raised piece of the ground and sits down, resting his arms against his legs as he lets his hands droop with his fingers grasped around the stone. Without saying a word, I listen to him sigh and choose to join him since there was room nearby. I first pick up my lance and use permafrost to stick it to the back of my armor, and then move forward and turn myself around so I can easily sit down beside him.

I gaze concernedly into Alex's tired eyes, which are more focused on the ground than they are on me, save for the occasional annoyed glance that is aimed at me. After a few reclusive moments, Alex lifts his head up, closes his eyelids, and says after a hesitant sigh "Ok…Its clear you have a lot of questions you want to ask me…So get going on them while I spend my time recovering from that battle…" It was clear from his tone that he felt uncomfortable being in this situation, but despite that he was offering me a chance to answer the many questions on my mind. I had no order of which to say them in, so I decided to ask the one currently present on the tip of my tongue.

"…First off, what was with the Reaper claiming that you were a threat to the cycle of life and death?" Alex opened his eyelids, released a calm breath to loosen his muscles, and released his grip on the stone so he can flip his hand around and allow me a better look at it. He then turns his body towards me and says in a calmer, younger accent "This is the Gaia Temporis, a relic I found buried amongst the shattered remains of the Genesis Orb not long after my supposed death that allows the user to control time." I stared into the inscription on the stone, hearing a quiet ticking noise that slowed down as Alex pulled it away from my peering eyes. I lifted my head up, blinking a few times before realizing why the Reaper wished to deal with him.

"I see, so he was worried that you may go back in time and bring some people back to life, which he wouldn't like because it would be an insult to his profession." I folded my arms in front of my armored chest and crossed my legs, maintaining a balance thanks to the way the rock was shaped. "That sounds about right…But its not as simple as he thinks it is." Alex moves the Gaia Temporis, or as I'm going to call it from here on out the "Time Stone" for simplicity's sake, to the front of his face, staring into the clock insignia with slanted eyebrows before saying to me "Freezing and slowing time is easy, but as far as time travel goes…Well…"

Flipping the stone once through the air with a light flick of the fingers, Alex follows it by raising and lowering his head before gripping it again and finishing his sentence off in a somewhat exasperated and somber tone "I think this thing just takes people to wherever it wants to take them." Taking a glance into Alex's melancholy expression, I could tell that he only knew about that condition from a past experience, perhaps because of something he tried to do when he first obtained the Time Stone. "How would you know that?" I decided to ask in hopes of learning more about the experience that led to Alex's conclusion.

He turned his eyes towards me, glaring with ill contempt towards my inquiry before saying in a rather bitter tone of voice "What do you THINK?" As if this was something I should've known the answer to. Actually, I didn't even think about it until he brought it up, and with my eyes retracting into a more embarrassed form along with my arms and legs spreading out slowly I said "I-I'm sorry…I shouldn't have brought up such a sore issue…For us both." I added in that last line to make it known to Alex that I really felt guilty for forgetting an event so grave that it effected not just us, but many other lives back on Earth as well.

After Alex let out another sigh to relieve himself of his strife, leaning back slightly and stretching his muscles as hard as he could without straining himself before telling me "However, that wasn't the only thing that showed me the truth about the Gaia Temporis' limitations…There is a part of my story that I neglected to mention to you while I was the 'Chronicler'. Don't worry, this is a short one…" Alex took a deep breath in, preparing himself to continue speaking as he turned my way and opened his eyelids as far as his strength would allow him. He holds the Time Stone up front and center with his chest.

"You see, a week or so after defeating Joe Dark, I got the idea to visit the ruins of the Origin Temple in order to try and find anything useful for the future. However, upon entering the area where the entrance once was, I was dragged back two-thousand years into the past, to a point not long after the Elemental Overlord sealed his soul and powers away in the Genesis Orb. I was confronted by a robed lady who knew and traveled with the Overlord in his final hours, and we engaged in a battle that ended in my defeat due to how powerful her aura-based combat was against all of my forms. It was through her that I learned about the Gaia Temporis' existence, and in the end I was unable to learn much else about the woman before I was dragged back into the present by what I assume was the Gaia Temporis of the past."

"I see…" I said, intrigued by everything mentioned in Alex's one paragraph tale. However, a few of the things Alex mentioned in the past minute along made me remember a few of the questions I was wanting to ask him. Alex takes the Time Stone and flips it through the air again, giving me a moment to let the tale sink in before I continue asking him questions. It was interesting to note that despite being shot earlier, he was moving his limbs around as if they had taken no damage whatsoever by this point. Before I let myself get too distracted by that detail, I shook my head and stared back at my original as he lifts his head up with one eyebrow raised.

"Alright, now I really got to ask this since you aren't actually dead…Why are you unaffected by the 'Midnight Channel', and why hasn't Mr. Reality just up and used his powers on you to stop you from getting involved with me?" "Well, I'd imagine the fact that I'm immune to the 'Midnight Channel' has something to do with the fact that I'm an Elemental Overlord like you, so therefore I was granted the same immunity from the realm's influence when he warped reality for his pathetic game. The only downside being, of course, that I lost my elemental powers like you did. As for the second question, I really don't have an answer for that one…It doesn't make sense. There is no way he couldn't have known about me from the start, and I was perfectly open for manipulations from his powers after the souls of the original Elemental Overlord, Genesis Samurais and Inner Guardians were purged from my body and sealed away in the energy reserves…"

"Oh, so I've been freeing their spirits every time I finish off a temple?" I asked in response to Alex's last sentence. He nods his head, elaborating further on that answer by telling me "Most of them have returned to my body, but I haven't seen any signs of the original Overlord's spirit since the beginning of this whole ordeal…" I lifted my left pointer finger up, my mouth halfway open out of the view of Alex's brooding eyes as I was about to point out the vision I saw yesterday in which the Overlord appeared and talked to me, but I lowered my arm and closed my lips tightly upon realizing that with the way Alex was looking now, the last thing he'd want to hear is that the Overlord's spirit was appearing to me instead of him.

"Next question then…What was up with the whole 'Chronicler' identity anyways? I mean like…What inspired you to use it? I'm especially curious about where that cloak originated from." "Well, you see, there is an interesting story behind that…" Alex actually perked up for a moment, his interest in the tale he was about to weave for me overtaking his exhaustion and depression and allowing me to take a peek at the cheerful side of my original self for just a brief moment as he once again lifts up the Time Stone and lets it lay on his palm as he stretches his fingers out. After looking at the stone for a few seconds, I lift my head up and wonder when Alex is going to begin the story, especially since he was staying eerily silent for an unnecessarily long period of time. In fact, his body wasn't moving in the slightest.

Then suddenly, I hear a ghostly whisper from above, and look up to see a phantasm that wears the same cloak Alex currently has on. However, in its indescribable right hand is a glowing pen while its left arm splits off into two hands, each one carrying a different colored book that it is using to write down something. It notices my attentive and overwhelmed stare, and through the shroud of its hood it smiles at me, though I cannot tell as to what form his mouth takes nor do I know what color it glows as he suddenly vanished from sight and Alex calls to me in a overly curious tone of voice. "So, did you see him?" He inquires, and I swiftly lower my head with my heart skipping a beat in surprise.

With no words to say due to how jumbled my mind was after gazing into the empty existence of what I guess was the real Chronicler, Alex took the helm of this conversation for a bit to explain what just happened. "I'll take that as a yes…You see, the Chronicler is a real otherworldly being. I wasn't lying about his duties when I mentioned them on our first encounter. I met him for the first time a few weeks back when I had to stop time in order to avoid being seen by the populace of a particular town. Back then he had over hundreds of hands attached to his left arm, each one detailing the life of an individual citizen, including my own. You see, since the Chronicler exists at all places in a single second, the only way to make him visible is to freeze time completely. Impressed by the fact that I could gaze upon him without consequence, the Chronicler imparted unto me a replica of his cloak, stating that I may require its use in the near future. The cloak allowed me to mask my face from all outside sources so long as I never moved any part of it outside the shadow, and the material prevents me from being harmed by any of the seven elements."

By the time Alex had finished his tale, I was finally over my surprise, though intrigue gripped my face as my expression switched to a grin and I let out a joyous chuckle, saying to Alex "Hahaha, that's pretty cool, honestly." I do admit I was a bit giddy knowing that my original actually met a being that most mortals would never have the honor of knowing about let alone seeing. It made me remember that our powers were both a curse and a blessing in that regard, seeing as we can also see the tangible forms of the unholy abominations of the universe who WON'T be as kind as the Chronicler was to Alex. After thinking about that for a moment, I realized that there were only two questions I wanted to ask my original before our conversation came to a close. I decided to start off with the less harmful of the two.

"Speaking of being in a town…How did you survive over the last year? I mean, you don't look malnourished or nothing." I leaned back like a psychologist would, waving my right hand out in curiosity as Alex retreats into his somber state once more and flips his legs around to plant them on the ground, sighing as he takes his left hand to the side of his face and rubs its gently, saying to me "Sometimes I really do wonder how I made it through…After my battle with Chaos Alex the explosion from my Blazing Overlord Fist launched me to the ground, the crash landing further breaking my rather weakened body. I pulled myself up through sheer force of will for reasons I can't even determine and trudged my way through the forest to where I suspected my glove landed, picking it up and heading on my way before anyone had the chance to enter and find me. After that I made my way to where the Origin Temple was via the original Overlord's guidance, and he opened the barrier so I could get in. I had healed up slightly thanks to the Genesis Samurais offering some of their spiritual life energy to my body, and was able to use my wind powers to clear away the toxins and debris spread throughout the air."

"After that I laid against one of the remaining palm trees, catching my breath after what felt like an eternity of walking and wondering what I was going to do next. I was gravely in need of food, but didn't have any way of purchasing it. Even if I did, I didn't want to risk being seen by anyone. I guess that's why I should be thankful for our species' survival instincts…It kicked in at just the right time, forcing my mind to work in overtime to come up with a solution to my hunger. Using my power over plants in combination with water and fire to replicate the photosynthesis of the sun, I created my own hidden garden amidst the trees, accelerating the growth process to rush out food for my to consume. My crops included apples trees, strawberry bushes, carrots, lettuce, walnuts, almonds, potatoes…Name a fruit, vegetable or nut, and I eventually created it."

"I had to rely on nuts for protein, but with the Overlord's help I determined which ones would be the best to keep my vitamin and mineral levels steady. That same applied for the fruits and veggies. Things were going well for the time being, and I used my privacy to scope out the ruins of the Origin Temple to try and discover anything of interest to pass the time. Ironically, I found the Gaia Temporis during the excavation of the central area, but I already mentioned that. But the peace wasn't to be, for it only took three months for someone to enter the area, forcing me to retreat into the shadows of the trees to avoid being seen by them."

"I peeked out, surprised to find both Alpha and E. Gadd wandering about for reasons unknown. I waited to see what they were doing, unable to hear a single word from the distance I was at. They eventually left, but not before Alpha spun around and with a suspicious glare my way as I retreated behind the tree he left behind a float camera. With my position compromised if I ever left the ring of trees again, I decided to escape the ruins of the Origin Temple and travel the world, using the Time Stone only when I needed to avoid being detected as I grabbed this and that to feed myself. I had to avoid using my powers in the outside world, because anything I did would be easily noticed by anyone who happened to stumble on by. So yeah, I've pretty much been a nomad for nine months now…And the only reason I know that is because the Gaia Temporis also allows me to see what time it is, right down to the literal millisecond."

After finishing his explanation off, Alex turns his head towards me, looking straight into my eyes with his face having relaxed into a somber expression, and with a deep tone of regret he says to me "Sorry for not being there for both of our birthdays…I guess we are both 13 now, right?" I was deeply touched by that simple act of curiosity, which showed that my original had regained some of his humanity in the year since his supposed death. I nodded my head to respond to his comment, my mouth slightly agape as my eyes paid full attention to Alex as he sighs and says "I probably missed a lot more than that…" Before he turns his head away from me and looks towards the ground and fails to notice the Time Stone falling out of his loosened grip.

"…But for what reason?" It was time for the final question, which I firmly asked as I sternly folded my arms in front of my chest and glared at Alex with a furious intensity in my pupils. He looked over at me, surprised by the harshness in my voice as he says to me "What?" Puzzled by why I asked him that. "What have you been doing Alex? What has been so goddamn important, that you just HAD to stay out of everyone's sight for a whole year!?" I lashed out at him, causing him to reel back and after a few seconds of silence as I kept my body leaned forward in grim anticipation for his response, he slanted his eyebrows and held his right hand out, pushing my head away as he gets on his feet to try and give himself some space. He then turns to me, lets out another sigh, and shakes his head a few times before turning back around and saying to me "I guess you deserve an explanation."

"You see, Chaos Alex's lecture really got to me, as much as I tried to deny what he said at first. I really had gone too far off of my original goals. I did become arrogant, I did become self-centered, and I didn't really have a sense of justice within me…How could I really claim to be worthy of the Elemental Overlord's powers when I wasn't even worthy to be a human being? That's what I thought to myself during the first weeks after my 'death'. I couldn't go back to the others even though I was alive, because I had to deal with these flaws of mine before they consumed me and turned me into a threat to everyone I know."

"…And you tried to do it alone? What are you, stupid?" I delivered a piercing question towards Alex, looking up from the ground after staring at it through his whole spiel on his reason for vanishing for a year. "Excuse me?" Alex turned all the way around, raising his right eyebrow in anger as his voice matches his expression but in a bit more subdued manner. "Look, I have no problem with you recognizing and wanting to correct your own flaws, but you tried to deal with them by yourself instead of asking for help, especially when most of our friends would have been more than willing to help you out!"

Alex grit his teeth in anger and scowled my way, which was the only thing that made me stop momentarily so the two of us could calm down. I stood up and lowered my head, planting the tips of my fingers against my forehead as I shook it and said with a hint of exhaustion "Look Alex…" I lifted my head up and looked at my original as he glared at my with contempt, as if he didn't really want to hear anything else I had to say. I didn't care though, I had a point to make and I was going to make Alex see it whether he wanted to or not. "Because of your sudden 'death', nearly a year later pretty much everyone barely cares about you anymore because of the bad image you left implanted in your mind, and the only one of our friends who does care is Driad, and he pretty much hates you now! Do you even care about the fact that someone who once thought of you as a brother now holds you in such contempt?!"

"You think I haven't thought about such things Mew? Do you think, that I am so callous and thoughtless that I haven't ever once had dreams and nightmares about the friends I sacrificed, about the life I chose to leave behind, and of the regrets I have about my own decisions?!" Alex yells out at me, the honesty in his words being solidified by how tearful his cries are. But in spite of what he was portraying, I still didn't believe anything he said and only considered his cries as an attempt to garner sympathy from me. "No, I DON'T believe you. I-It just doesn't make any sense. If you really are thinking that way about them, then it would stand to point that you would just go back to them already, explain what you are trying to do, and apologize deeply for making them believe that you were dead in the first place. You want my opinion, you are only doing this by yourself to make yourself feel better! Nothing more, nothing le-" "SHUT UP!"

Alex finally blurts those two words out in seething rage, his eyes on the verge of tears as he glares at me with his body bent forward and his arms stretched out like a madman's would be. He stands up fully, brandishing his right pointer finger out with so much force that the very air is pushed forward against its will. After gritting his teeth for a few seconds he begins to tearfully rip into me vocally, his body staying perfectly in that pose as his violent onslaught of words passes through his lips. "You think I wanted your opinion Mew?! Why do you think I went through all the damn trouble of hiding my identity when you were the only one who knew about my existence?! Its because in many ways, you are just like me, and therefore you'd be the one person in the entire world who I feared would make me feel even guiltier than I already did about my choice here! But you…You are so ignorant about my motives that it sickens me! I'm not doing this self-exile from society out of selfishness, but because I want to conquer my own demons and make it so I will never be at risk to be a threat to anyone in the universe ever again! The fact that its taken this long just goes to show how little faith I have that I'm fully ready to return! And not just that, I also wanted my friends to be proud of the fact that I was able to mature on my own. But I guess that second one isn't a possibility anymore, because you just HAD to show up here and become their friend, meaning that they won't give a shit anymore when I finally do return to them! You know, you don't deserve them Mew…The only reason you know ANYTHING about them is all because of the memories that _**I**_ implanted into you! You know, if I had known that things were going to lead to this, I NEVER would have saved you from that zombie horde, you fucking replica!"

The final sentence on a precision swear word and a denial of my name, as Alex blindly calls me by that disrespectful title much to my surprise and horror. Alex looked ready to foam from the mouth, that's how intense his anger had grown. But really, he was right…I had gone too far in my pursuit for the truth, and pissed Alex off when I honestly had no reason to make things extend out that far. I deserved to be torn into like that for misjudging him, and as Alex tried to calm himself down I extended my right hand through the air with a look of regret on my face and began to say "Alex…I'm so-" "I don't want to hear it Mew…" He glares at me with righteous fury, his quiet, subdued tone of voice condemning my apology before it was fully spoken. He then turns himself around, firming his arms beside his body as his cloak swings through the air and his head peers up at the sky. "Farewell…And if you want to save this planet before time runs out, you better not choose to follow me…"

Making his warning out as clearly as he possibly could, Alex leaps into the air and flies off in a burst of energy that leaves behind a shockwave that pushes my body back across the ground a few inches as I brace myself with my arms in front of my chest. By the time the dust settled, he was gone, quite possibly never to be seen again my any mortal eye on this planet. However, as I tried to cope with that fact along with the harsh reality that I would always have that brutal, verbal beat down of his as my first and last memory of him for the rest of my mortal life, I remembered something very vital that Alex neglected to notice before he left.

Turning around and peering towards the ground, I see the Time Stone laying between two smooth bumps, its form untouched by the heat in this area as I pick it up gently in the grasp of my right hand. I gazed into the clock-like inscription, noting the quiet ticks in my ears as I stuff the relic into my armor through the neck area, where it would be safe and sound for the time being. "You don't deserve something like this anyways while you are so unstable…" I said, referring to the way Alex currently was as I turn around and look out into the distance. "…I have to stay focused now. However things may be with Alex, it has no impact on the situation with Mr. Reality…I have to deal with him now, and then I will try my hardest to find and confront Alex…That's another promise I intend to keep." With those words stated as I arched my eyebrows in determination and nodded my head once, I continued on through the Nova Cesspool, where the Ignitor Cave would eventually await me.

_Next Time: The Eight Children of the Kin_


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31: Fighting the Eight Loyal Kids**

"_You better not choose to follow me…"_ Compared to the final words he said during his stint as the Chronicler, Alex's farewell that time left a brutal impression in my mind, the seriousness of his threat making me deeply regret ever telling him that I figured out who he really was as I wandered through the bubbling landscapes of the Nova Cesspool, my body surrounded by an Antarctic chill to counteract the heat around me as I inched closer to the entrance to the Ignitor Cave. All the while I had grasped in my left hand the one thing Alex had left behind accidentally, which was the Gaia Temporis, a mystery relic whose name I've simplified to the "Time Stone" simply because that's what it is, a stone that completely controls the flow of time.

I had chosen to keep it because I believed that Alex wasn't worthy of gazing at it let alone touching it like he had been for the past year. Still, because I wanted to make sure that Mr. Reality wouldn't do something to stop me from using it forever, I quickly tucked the relic back into my armor and went along my merry way without garnering any suspicion from his faraway, watchful eye. At least, that's what I hoped would happen after that action of mine. Only time will tell if I'm right or not, but for now I needed to discard my concerns about Alex and focus on the task at hand. I had no idea how much time I used up being in a conversation with my original, though I imagine that I only have three hours to get through the final temple before the core gets flooded with lava.

"_SHUT UP!"_ Alex's outburst rings in my memories once last time, gravely affecting the beating of my heart for a few seconds before I shake it off and push onward, pulling my lance off of my back after releasing the permafrost that kept it in place. I swing it over my head, lashing the tip against the ground with such force that I create a two-foot tall icicle in the ground that quickly melts away in the unbearable heat. I dragged the tip along the ground, leaving a trail of ice behind me that melts quickly without my attention being focused on it. As I notice the appearance of a black coal cave in the distance, I hear the sound of propellers whirling overhead, causing me to take pause and look up into the sky.

Through the thicket of steam that rises from the ground I see the shape of a familiar ship flying in from the distance, its whirling blades blowing away the steam and allowing me a better look at it from the front. The first thing I notice is the open maw of a stone likeness of the Koopa King Bowser's face. As the wooden ship flips around so its right side is pointed at me along with the three cannons attached to it, eight creatures, all of them having rather distinctive feature, leaps out onto the deck and share in a unified laugh directed at me as seven of them whip out their wands and the youngest one at the front of the seven does a merry jig before standing firm just like his father would in the face of an enemy.

They were the Koopalings and Bowser Junior, Bowser's eight kids who…Wait, hold on a moment here. Yeah, I hate to break the fourth wall after how tense the last chapter was and all, but I have just received word that Miyamoto called the Koopalings "Not Bowser's Kids" so…Umm…This is awkward…Ummm…I guess I'll have to come up with something else here…Umm…Forget it, I'll bring this issue up again three chapters from now, so back to the fight. Anyways, they stare down at me with their eyes blank with a sensation of hypnosis present within them, but instead of launching all of their attacks at me at the same time like I had braced myself in preparation for, only one of them jumps off the ship to face me in combat.

It was the youngest of the seven Koopalings, Larry Koopa. He had the most generic appearance of the seven, what with the only distinct feature being a sky-blue Mohawk. Otherwise, he just looks like a spiked-shell Koopa with a mouth resembling Bowser's but with only two fangs attached to the upper lip. His wand, tipped with an orange jewel, glows brightly with neon squares, circles and triangles flying around in two infinity like loops as the Doomship he jumped off of flies away so I wouldn't target it in the middle of the battle. The fact that the Koopalings were the outer guardians confirmed to me that I would be likely fighting Bowser alongside Mario for the inner guardian fight. That's a problem to deal with later though.

For now, Larry swings his wand through the air, throwing three fireballs at separate intervals my way as his body twirls to follow the motions of his arm. When his back is turned to me he backflips through the air while I deal with the fireballs by swinging my lance with enough of a chill to override their heat. I then look behind me, watching as Larry lands and tucks into his shell, spinning multiple times to build up momentum along the ground before he turns around and heads my way with the intention to trip me up. However, I leap up , spinning around myself and positioning my body in such a way that I am able to dunk my lance into the ground, creating an icy spread that causes Larry's course to be diverted as he slips along the surface, the side of his shell grazing the frozen grip of my lance and placing a layer of ice over his left arm hole.

I then let go, flipping my weapon around in my right hand until its held behind me and my body lands on the ground. I turn around just as Larry's movements become wobbly due to the weight I added to his body and he kicks his legs out of the shell to stand up and thrust his right arm, wand and all, out ready to fight once more as he lands on the ground only two feet away from the cave's entrance. I punch the air with my left fist, the chill surrounding my body swirling to conform to the shape of my hand so it can solidify and launch out in the form of an icy orb aimed at Larry's face. The Koopaling, instead of ducking out of the way, decided instead to turn his wand into a tennis mallet with four orange spikes scattered around it so he can knock my attack back at me with one fell swing.

Gladly obliging to his request for a tennis match in respect for his unique tastes, I took my lance and used it like a one-handed bat, swatting the ice ball back with greater speeds than before. With great reflexes and speed, Larry rushes to the left and dives to swat the projectile back at me, tumbling once to land on the ground ready for the next volley. I hit it back again, but with Larry's eyebrows arched in glorious mischief he swings his racket again, only this time around the net starts burning brightly. What ensues after that is two fireballs trailing beside the icy ball, the Koopaling trying a sneaky trick in order to strike me while I deal with my own projectile.

However, I'm not unwise to such tricks, and quickly swing my body around in a circle with my lance extended out in the grasp of both hands. The tip of the weapon pierces both fireballs while its touch on the ice ball allows me to perform a trick of my own, tripling the projectile's size so it is now larger than the tennis mallet's net can possibly handle. As Larry looks on with his eyes widened in disbelief, the ice ball smashes right into him, breaking apart in a burst of ice shards that dissipates as quickly as you'd expect and the Koopaling is flung into the side of the cave, his body landing on the ground unconscious to signify my victory.

The next Koopaling to leap down from the Doomship is the rather larger Morton Koopa Jr., whose impact with the ground causes the ground to rumble and two pockets of steam to burst out beside him. He is the only one of his siblings with a brown skin tone instead of yellow, and save for a few strands of hair his scalp is entirely bald. His white face is marked with a star on the left eye, and his large shell is black in color. In the grasp of his left hand is a wand with a red jewel tip. He swirls it around above his head, flinging it forward while it is still in his grasp to fire a slow moving bolt of yellow plasma energy my way.

However, I knew how Morton fought. This was a distraction meant to make me focus entirely on the front of my body while he jumps and stomps me from above. Considering his weight, such force applied to the top of my head would be more than enough to kill me, even with all this armor I wore. So while he was moving through the air I quickly pushed my lance forward, flipping it up like a spatula so the underside of the plasma would be hit and the projectile would be launched upward. It collides with Morton's underside, exploding and sending him away a few feet through the air before he had a chance to descend. He lands on the ground behind me, beaten but not quite down.

His own projectile did a lot more damage then I expected it to honestly, but whatever helps move things along is good enough for me. As his smoking body rises up with a push of his hands, Morton gets into his shell and charges at me at a breakneck pace. However, after taking a note from his brother's movements, when I jump into the air Morton too leaps up, smashing straight into the chest plate of my armor and very nearly cracking it with how powerful his blow was. I'm pushed through the air against my will, my lance still in the grasp of my hand as my body nears the top of the cave entrance. With quick thinking, I focus through the pain brought on by my armor being pressed against my chest to hold my left hand towards the ground.

In a matter of seconds, a massive pillar of ice thrusts itself upward, consuming and deep freezing Morton entirely and removing the pressure of his shell away from my body so I'm able to slow down the momentum built up by his charge by kicking my feet and breaking the roof of the cave off while extending the rest of my limbs out and focusing as hard as I can to gain control of my flight. The ice I trapped Morton in thaws out, and he collapses onto the ground after his limbs and head pops out of the shell. Two down, six to go, and I was making good time all things considered. Not that anyone, especially not myself, needed to be reminded of the stakes.

The third Koopaling comes down, following the age pattern to a "T" as the next one that lands is Wendy O. Koopa, the only female amongst Bowser's kids. Unlike most of the other, she doesn't have fangs in her mouth, but rather puffy, feminine lips which match her pink, spotted head bow rather well. She has a red beaded necklace and a yellow ring around both of her wrists, and wears pink high heels that were specifically designed to fit onto her feet. Her wand has a purple jewel, which glows as she begins her part of the fight by launching two swirling, golden rings my way.

As the projectiles come my way she does a few ballet jumps through the air, leaping over the cave and landing straight below me ready to fire more rings my way after a few second casting period. In fact, while my eyes were focused on her movements I nearly forgot about the rings she previous sent my way. Quickly lifting my head up and reacting with the swiftness of a cougar allows me to swing my lance out and freeze the two rings with an arctic breeze just moments before they touched the skin of my face. I had no clue what they would do to me, but I would rather not take the risk of letting them do anything.

The good thing about fighting Wendy was that her rings wouldn't be nearly as effective in an open environment, since there were no walls for them to bounce off of. So while I had to be careful, this situation wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. Two more rings came my way as I flew up due to the heat thawing out the other two. Thankfully, all four rings collided in mid-air, diverting their paths in opposite directions so I would never have to worry about them again. While I was as up this high, Wendy has no chance of reaching me, and even threw a bit of a temper tantrum via pounding the ground with a few furious leaps and swinging her arms up and down in rage.

Instead of focusing on her behavior though, it was best for me to take her out quickly and get on to the next Koopaling. So after spinning my lance around in front of me with the flick of the wrist, a smooth, two-inch tall dome of ice rises up underneath Wendy. In a matter of seconds spikes burst out from all sides of the dome, trapping the female Koopaling within them as I constantly lower the temperature of the spikes to keep up with the rising heat of the Nova Cesspool. Having forced Wendy into hibernation from the cold, I allow the prison to melt so her unconscious body can rest upon the ground.

While I lowered my lance from the center of my body and back into the grasp of my right hand, I was quickly struck in the jaw by a powerful punch, my body plummeting into the ground faster than one could blink. I landed on my back after spiraling through the air, my body tearing up the ground and bringing me close to the edge of the area, where a dip into the lava lake would've awaited me if I had gone even a few more inches. With the back of my armor dirtied by the landing, my eyes a little disoriented from the impact, and my jaw stinging from the blow, I steadily picked myself up and watched as the next Koopaling landed on the ground with a more forceful impact than Morton's.

It was Roy Koopa, someone I wasn't expecting to see next considering how I had the order pegged from youngest to oldest and then Bowser Jr. after that. Either way, the Koopaling, despite his buff demeanor, has a pink head and pink sunglasses, and his shell is a rather dark purple color. I guess he acted tough just to show that "real men wear pink" or something like that, not like I'd be able to get an answer out of him even if he was himself. Instead of starting things off with an energy blast or some other unique projectile from his wand, Roy instead raises it into the air and with a puff of magic transforms it into a double-sided bullet bill launcher that despite its imposing size he is able to easily lift in the grasp of his right arm.

He quickly fires a couple Bullet Bills my way after flipping the cannon around so the second barrel can do its thing as well, the living ammunition locking on to me as I could see two glowing reticules appear on my body and quickly realized that dodging was out of the question. With but a thought I caused a series of icicles to erupt from the ground in two separate lines, both of them crawling across the solidified magma until they sprout up underneath the Bullet Bills, impaling through their metallic undersides and causing them to explode and shatter a large portion of both icy trails in the process. This left Roy unaccounted for behind the smoke created from the detonations, and I instantly kept my eye into the air seeing as Roy and Morton fought rather similarly.

However, it was not the air I should've been keeping an eye on, but the ground, for not long after looking up do I feel the floor below me trembling. A shockwave heads my way, created by Roy pounding the ground with his underside. It was as tall as half of my body, but nothing I couldn't dodge with a simple leap. However, Roy was surprisingly ahead of me in my movements as he fired two more bullet bills my way, and with my body briefly suspended in mid-air I didn't have the time to attack them. As I took the full blunt of both shots along with the explosions afterwards, I quickly flung my lance into the air in preparation for another attack, letting myself skid across the air a few feet as the crack that Morton gave in my armor earlier spreads farther out and I brush the upper part of my right gauntlet against my lower lip, spitting a bit of blood towards the ground before grinning confidently without Roy knowing about my actions.

Looking up at my lance, I watch it spin around until its suspended in place while aimed diagonally, its tip pointed at a particular space behind where the buff Koopaling currently stands. I flick my right fingers through the air, sending my weapon downward to its predetermined destination faster than Roy can hope to react to. A loud "Shink!" lets me know that the impact was successful, and with the smoke gone I see and hear the ice crawling up from the ground like a self-building wall, and it consumes both the bullet bill blaster and Roy's right hand in the span of five seconds.

I knew the ice wouldn't last long, as usual, so after cracking my knuckles I pressed my fingers together tightly into the shape of a fist and increased its offensive capabilities by surrounding it with ice. Rushing downward through the air, I land feet first onto the ground mere inches away from Roy's body and quickly thrust an uppercut right into the Koopaling's jaw, essentially paying him back for the cheap blow he flung my way earlier while also breaking the ice around my fist. My strike conveniently matches up with the melting of the ice around his weapon, and as I spin through the air after my rising uppercut I catch brief glimpses of his body flying high into the sky, his blaster falling onto the ground with him landing right on top of it merely a millisecond later. He was unconscious, and I had reached the halfway point of this battle.

The next tone to jump down is Iggy Koopa, the tallest and thinnest of the seven children along with being the craziest amongst them. His light-green hair looks like the top of a pineapple, which matches the insanity of his swirly-eyed glasses. Unlike the other Koopalings, Iggy's wand glows at all times even when he isn't doing anything, the green energy matching the texture of plasma closer than Morton's bolts ever did. Giggling maniacally, Iggy summons a carriage that is pulled by a barking Chain Chomp beside him and leaps on it. With a wave of the wand the creature tugs Iggy across the ground, the Chomp's bloodthirsty eyes looking my way while the Koopaling prepares his wand to fire some blasts my way.

The ground wasn't really safe with the addition of the Chomp, so I flew up to get a better vantage point for attacking, using my mind to pull my lance to me with relative ease and into the grasp of my right hand. However, Iggy doesn't choose to keep himself on the ground like Wendy was forced to, and uses his wand to create a cage of railing that his chariot can be pulled along by the Chomp. But by staying only in the center of the rails, the Chomp was incapable of reaching me, which was something that greatly irritated Iggy as he shot blast after blast my way to no avail due to my swift maneuverability. Not to mention his idea, while nice in concept, is pretty easily countered by someone with my powers.

I kept my eyes on the Koopaling, holding my lance behind me ready to swing out at any energy bolts while thrusting my left palm through the air towards a specific junction on the railing that Iggy's chariot was heading towards in front of me. In an instant that point is frozen completely, the level of thickness in the ice being more than enough to force the chariot to a complete stop as the Chain Chomp ends up jerking forward suddenly and nearly chokes on its on collar. Iggy, upset by my move, quickly points upward with his free hand to get the Chomp to move in that direction while he focuses on me. However, with his next move easily telegraphed I lift my hand up and freeze the next point directly above him, continuing to do this very action to a few other specific points so Iggy is trapped in a designated area of his own rail cage.

As he throws a hysterical fit over the fact that I stopped him from moving, he fails to hear the cracking of steel around him caused by the super cooling and expansion of the air bubbles inside the rails. In a matter of seconds, the section of the cage Iggy is trapped in breaks off, knocking the Koopaling off of his chariot and causing him and the Chain Chomp to plummet helplessly towards the ground. Thankfully, he was heading down shell first, so I did not need to intervene to save his life as he landed on the ground, followed soon after by the back edge of his chariot bonking him on his noggin, which dispels his focus on everything he summoned and causing it to vanish in a puff of ivory smoke.

The next thing to appear in my line of sight wasn't a Koopaling though, but rather a small orange ball with a few orange stars scattered about lands and bounces onto the ground. Landing gracefully onto the top of the all is the smallest yet second oldest of the Koopalings, Lemmy Koopa, whose distinctive features are a rainbow colored Mohawk and a yellow-orange shell. With his green jewel wand in hand, he decides to take advantage of the height brought on by him landing on the ball to push himself forward through the air, defying the laws of physics with the help of his wand's magic so he can get closer to me.

Lemmy isn't really much of a threat though, since as noted in the past he'd rather be in a circus than fight Mario, which is reflected in the fact that unlike his siblings he fires rubber balls out of his wand instead of energy blasts. Of course, considering Mr. Reality's involvement, I don't know what to really expect from the little Koopaling as he bounces close to me and pushes his wand forward with the tip glowing brightly ready to strike. I flip out of the way as Lemmy launches a ball out from the wand, making my earlier concerns valid as I close my eyelids and let out a sigh of relief. However, as I open them up and watch the Koopaling descend he points his wand up and fires an icy blue energy blast that is double the size of the usual variety.

With my eyes widening in shock, the bolt collides straight into my body, consuming it in a burst of energy that damages me but doesn't knock me backwards surprisingly. I clear away the smoke with a swing of my arms and lance, watching as Lemmy bounds across the ground in random points, taunting me with his grin as he refuses to use his wand against me due to how far away he is. His ball was his only advantage against me due to how unpredictable its movements were, so I decided that it had to go, now. With a quick yet accurate throw of my lance, the tip punctures through the rubber edge of the ball, popping it instantly with a loud rupture filling my ears much to my joy and Lemmy's shock.

However, after only a second of his eyes narrowing in surprise, he chuckles while he falls, using his magic to summon another ball that not only cushions his fall but also allows him to bound right up again with relative ease. Since destroying his balls isn't an option considering how easy it is for him to create a new one, with my eyebrows slanted at him in annoyance I decided I would just deep freeze the ball so it would also be forcibly attached to the Koopaling's feet and prevent him from moving out of the way of my follow-up attack. I raised my right hand into the air, calling my lance back with an arched flight above Lemmy's head until the handle is grasped firmly once more and I spin it around while positioning it behind my back.

I then proceed to stick my weapon to my armor with permafrost for the time being, freeing up both of my hands so I can thrust the palms together in front of my chest and glare straight towards where I predicted Lemmy would be again after one more bounce. With deep concentration focused into the center of my palms, I called on the full power of the frost to swirl around into a concentrated ball of energy, launching it outward in the form of an icy spread that would certainly do the job I wanted it to if it connects. However, Lemmy was still full of surprises, and with a flick of his wand he…Converts it into a type of gun…That he points at the ice I sent his way and he proceeds to shoot his own beam of ice to counter it with ease.

As I switch my expression from brief surprise to increased annoyance, I think to myself "Oh come on, that is so non-canon…" At the very least though, the new weapon wouldn't prove to be much of a nuisance despite its out-of-nowhere appearance, since ice was the element that I was currently in control of. With great manipulation of the frost that exists all-around, I lower the temperature of all the bits so it would survive the heat long enough to suit my goals, and with a flick of the wrist and a snap of the fingers the ice completely engulfs Lemmy's ball and wraps around its spherical form until it crawls up to his knees and encapsulates it all in solid ice.

Lemmy falls downward, letting go of his "Freeze Gun" as his body is helpless to save himself from his dire situation. He lands on the ground, his ball shattering into a million shards that quickly melt when exposed to the high temperature. And because he underwent the same momentum that his ball did, Lemmy falls onto the ground with the relatively same impact, his body lying flat against the ground as his weapon drops down and bops him one on the head, surely knocking the poor guy unconscious before it turns back into a wand and plops down beside him.

Next up was the last Koopaling, the oldest and most powerful of the seven Ludwig Von Koopa, who unsurprisingly had a hairstyle similar to that of the famous composer despite more than likely not knowing that he existed. That wasn't the only unique feature on his body though, as the one fang in the center of his mouth surely proved. I saw him leap off of the Doomship, his body falling downward until he saw me right in front of him, at which point he shuffled his feet back and forth much like a Yoshi would to stay in the air while swinging his wand outward to cast four blue-ish fireballs my way.

Now this was actually more of a pain to deal with then everything else thus far, since I couldn't cool my body enough to counteract the temperature of blue flames, and thus would have to dodge them in order to avoid taking damage. So I raised my body up through the air, letting the fireballs fly beneath my feet before I swing my lance out to send a crescent wave of pure ice towards Ludwig. However, the Koopaling stops fluttering and lets gravity take hold so he can fall and avoid the brunt of my attack, which only ends up nicking the top of his head, giving him a whitened streak that looks rather natural considering his hairstyle.

He lands on the ground without tripping himself up, and won't be able to reach me again so long as he stays down there. I figured since this was the last of the Koopalings, I would at least give him the honor of a fairer fight instead of finishing him off with one move then and there. I descended, attaching my lance to my back so I could use just my fists in combat. I cracked my knuckles as Ludwig gazed his eyes upon me, preparing his wand to launch more projectiles at me with a flick of the wrist. I duck and weave past the fireballs as if time was a non-factor, rushing forward and hitting Ludwig straight in the gut with on powerful punch.

But surprisingly, unlike Roy, Ludwig's age gives him a higher level of durability that allows him to take my punch without barely flinching while leaving me in a prime position to be hit be a close-range blast from his wand. As he points the tip right against my forehead, I quickly try and pull myself away upon seeing the glow from the corner of my eye, raising my hands into the air to call forth a thin wall of ice that would slow down the fireballs slightly while I make my body feel weightless and allow the momentum from my hands rising to perform a backflip that allows me to dodge all four projectile. However, Ludwig quickly conjures up another wave that homes in on me while I descend from my jump.

While I had little time to react, it was still more than enough to deal with the fireballs with a brisk snap of the fingers, which suspends me in mid-air and causes an Antarctic glow to surround my body as a frosty gateway opens up before me and draws out hundreds of icy needles that bombard the fireballs to the point that the water created from them melting is enough to turn the incendiary projectiles to ashes. Next up, I landed on the ground and stamped my foot down hard, cracking the ground and sending icicles erupting towards Ludwig. Swift as he is though, he leaps into the air, his feet fluttering just above the spiky tips while he laughs lightly at my attempt to strike him.

He gets above me, his shadow looming around my figure as he prepares to pound down unto me. With my body positioned rather awkwardly, it was a mystery as to how I was able to leap out of the way in time to avoid his impact. He follows up his landing with a quick swing of the wand, which sends out another two waves of fireballs at once, leaving me with no other choice but to whip out my lance with a delicate, arc-shaped swing to puncture the projectiles with the tip in order to stop them mid-flight. While my weapon was still held outright, I lifted it up, swinging it a few times with the careful manipulation of my fingers before impaling it into the ground with enough force that the ground shakes as if a hammer struck it hard.

This brief vibration is followed up by a gigantic pillar of ice erupting from the ground beneath Ludwig, which wraps him up completely in a method similar to how Morton was dealt with. However, the Koopaling was not about to go down as easily as his younger brother, and quickly used his wand to create a wave of heat around him that melts the icy pillar down and gives him another chance to go at me. He leaps down from the uneven platform created by his actions, flinging fireballs my way that continue to make my life difficult as I have to focus more on them than I do him.

Another swing of the lance blows the fireballs apart though, and I step back a few feet in order to avoid getting crushed beneath Ludwig's body. As I swished my left gauntlet in front of my chin, I had to give the Koopaling credit for his cunning, which was the only reason he was lasting longer than his siblings. However, I couldn't keep wasting all this time fighting Ludwig, and would have to deliver a decisive blow soon. I planted my lance onto the back of my armor like usual, and rush forward without any hesitation present in my overly determined pupils. With one quick thrust of my fist I pound Ludwig in the jaw, stunning him so he can't react to the haymaker that connects dead-on to his weakened gut. The combination of blows disperses his flaming aura and knocks the wand right out of his hand as his body is flung fifteen feet away from his current position, the back of his shell colliding and making an indent in a nearby solidified magma formation before he gets disconnected from it and falls to the ground completely defeated.

As I was ready to head on back to the cave, a familiar yet annoying laugh filled the air, and it reminded me that there was still one more kid of Bowser's for me to defeat. Falling down in a miniature version of the Koopa King's Clown Copter is Bowser Junior, who as noted earlier looks…Well, like a miniature version of Bowser. There was a cannon on both sides of his vehicle though, a major difference from his father's work. All the same, I didn't really have the time to waste fighting the kid, so I just casually rolled my eyes and stamped my foot into the ground without looking his way.

In a matter of seconds, a massive pillar of ice ruptures from the ground below the vehicle, hitting it with enough force to send it hurtling through the air, where it collides right through the Doomship and causes it to explode into a million pieces. All I hear is Bowser Jr.'s disgruntled yelp as he becomes a vague twinkle in the sky. "Well…His fight was really that easy in the Wii version…" I rationalized his easy defeat to myself as I looked forward at the backside of the cave entrance and ran over to it, going to the opposite side where the vast gap that invited me to enter awaited. Pulling my lance out into the grasp of my right hand, I entered the cave, only for my body to become consumed by the darkness as I hear a strange suctioning sound that lasts only a second…

_Next Time: The Gauntlet of Past Travel_


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: Bowser's Roads**

I landed on the ground after falling down from the sky without any control. My feet cushioned my fall along with my lowered right hand, and as I lifted my head up I was surprised by what I saw. I wasn't in the Ignitor Cave, but rather I had been brought to a strange area filled with various platforms and other devices that Mario himself would be familiar with traversing. The platform I was standing on was blue with a wide arrange of small indents plastered across the surface, and the thinner, three stone steps in front of me were grey in color with the first step having the green outline of a box floating above it.

This, along with the hazy, dark-green atmosphere beyond this obstacle course alerted me to the fact that this was the "Bowser in the Dark World" area from Super Mario 64. After a brief tint of nostalgia pokes at my mind I scratch the top of my scalp in confusion, wondering why Mr. Reality chose to send me to this area instead of dealing with the normal obstacles in the temple. Or…Maybe I was actually in the temple? I was really bewildered by my arrival here, and in the midst of this confusion I shrugged my shoulders and thrust my arms towards the air to try and take off. However, my movement was kept grounded to the floor, even when I tried to stand on my tip-toes in conjunction with the thrusting of my arms.

"Yeah, this figures…" I said with little surprise in my voice as I stood back down in order to avoid further embarrassment. "I wonder though…" I thought to myself after folding my arms to reflect on my situation for a few seconds. I then extended my right limb out and spread out my fingers, releasing a small, icy chill from the palm that dissipates on a single whim. "Ok, so I still got my powers, but I doubt that using them to climb through this area will do any good. Guess I'll just have to traverse this area like Mario would. Shouldn't be too difficult, right?" After clasping my hand into the shape of a fist and lowering it beside my body, I began to move forward, passing underneath the outline of the box and going down my steps until I reached a thick piece of wood that was just as wide as the length of both of my feet combined.

I tip-toed across it carefully, keeping the weight of my armor balanced while I held my arms at hip length and made sure that my ice powers didn't crack the fibers in the wood and send me plummeting to my doom. After clearing that walkway, I reached a slight incline and climbed it with a brief dash, glaring to the left as I noticed a stone monolith firing a steady stream of fire outward over a square purple button with an exclamation mark and a gold outline. I grinded to a halt before I got burned by the flames, and after approximately three seconds it retracts back into the monolith, allowing me to continue onward to the next obstacle.

Next up was two square, raised platforms that moved around an enclosed golden frame. I dashed towards the center of the first platform closest to the edge, leaping out as far as a normal human could and landing on the backside of the platform with ease. I then jumped again as the platform edged the bottom right corner, making it to the other side with my body feeling a slight hint of exhaustion thanks to a sweat drop trickling down the side of my head. I really wasn't used to acrobatic feats without my flight powers to act as a safety cushion. My jumping ability was average, was I previously noted, and I couldn't do the double and triple jumps like Mario did when he went through this area, which may prove problematic near the end.

I then looked up and saw a ferris wheel with four rectangular platforms spinning around. Though I could easily have walked forward up the two inclines beside the rather steep and slick one, I instead coated my hand in ice and punched the ground below me, cracking it slightly before a small platform of ice pokes up and launches me high into the air. After getting above the closest wheel platform, I moved my weight to the side so I could land on it without tripping. I had to make sure to keep myself steady as the platform spun around until it was within range of the next platform, which was eight-sided and made entirely of wood.

There were three Goombas wandering about, but only one of them noticed my presence on the platform and moved my way after a short leap. I jumped up and landed on top of it, squishing it into a pancake and making its body poof away, where it leaves behind a single coin that vanished into me without explanation. The other two Goombas take notice, but I don't do anything to them besides run past them and head towards the thin, rickety bridge on the eastern side of the platform. On the other side is a twisted, rising walkway that has fences on various edges and crystals popped out of the ground with a few black orbs surrounding by electricity flying around them.

I rushed through the walkway, dodging and weaving past the orbs until I made it to the end, where I saw a yellow, spongy textured platform pushing out from a perfectly cubed grey platform that had a yellow box floating over it. Timing was the key here, and I waited to see how long it would take for it to retract and go back in before I leaped onto it. Surprisingly, it doesn't even take a second for the process to occur and my jump to happen. I had to act quickly to get onto the cube before I would have no space to stand on. What awaited beyond the other side of the yellow platform were two more sets of rotating, square platforms whose perimeters were connected together.

I waited for the yellow platform to push out, quickly moving down onto it and rushing forward, leaping out onto the first spinning platform in sight and employing the same methods I did on the previous rotating ones to make it across and onto a stone extension that houses a lone Goomba and leads towards two mint-green seesaws suspended in mid-air by grey rods sticking out from this stone and another on the opposite side of the area. After leaping onto the Goomba to crush it, I head use the momentum from the bounce to land onto the seesaw, my weight immediately causing it to slant downward towards the stone extension.

I made my way to the center to maintain a balance for a seconds while I turned around and raised my hands into the air. Without a double jump, there would be no way for me to jump onto the other seesaw without my weight pushing the one I was on out of range first. So using my powers, I created a block of ice whose weight was roughly equivalent to my own in order to keep a perfect balance as I stepped onto the opposite end of the seesaw. Once I was certain of my position, I increased the weight on the other side by swinging my hands down to summon a smaller block of ice on top of the one I had previously created.

This raises the seesaw up, allowing me to get in range of the next one and leap over to it with ease. I then drag the ice blocks through the air by holding my hands behind my back with my hands held upside-down, wagging my fingers to lift them over the wood and placing them down on the farthest side once I make it to the one closest to the next stone extension, which in front of the highest point that the seesaw could be raised on the side I was standing on. I leaped over to it, the next stone platform with another purple, golden bordered switch resting on top of it. I leaped down towards it, letting the ice on the seesaw fall off as it melts the very moment I stamp down onto the button with the full bulk of my weight.

A timer ticks down as the incline above me forms into four steps leading to the final destination, each one marked with a black and blue/icy-blue checkered pattern. I have to use the full height of my jump to make it up each step as the ticking increases in speed. I thankfully make it to the top the exact moment that time runs out, otherwise I would've slipped down the slope and likely would've plummeted to my death by going off the edge. All that was left was the lone green pipe in the center of the octagon platform made entirely of rock. I swiped my left hand across my forehead, for that constant string of jumps and other maneuver had left me physically drained for the time being.

"And Mario does this type of thing for a living…" I thought to myself as I caught my breath. "It really makes one appreciate the heroics he does every day, knowing that he risks his life to conquer perilous platforms that many others would have difficulty traversing, all to reach a beast that even fewer would dare to face, just so he can save the Princess and the kingdom she rules. Guess that's why Mario is so well renowned…" As I expressed appreciation in Mario's endeavors, I walked towards the pipe and jumped into it, slipping through time and space into yet another area.

I landed in a long hallway lined with a purple, well-kept carpet, with a grated wall off to the side separated by bricked pillars and illuminated by the glow of the blue flames behind them. There were two paths, one on the upper level that I could reach via a four step staircase, and another one adjacent to the floor. Something felt incredibly off though, like my body had lost a lot of weight and it felt a lot flatter than usual. I tried to turn around, but it felt like I was flipping the page of a book when I did so. After five more flips, each more frantic than the last, I realized the horror that had been wrought upon me.

I had become two-dimensional, a living piece of paper that kept my form's appearance at the cost of my thickness and realistic features. I quickly slapped my hand against my head, but it felt like I was applying a fan to my face instead of a piece of muscular flesh. "You really had to do this, didn't you Mr. Reality?" Upon trying to express my thoughts in annoyance, I noticed another strange occurrence, mainly that no words slipped through my lips. "Oh great, he made me a mute too? Well, I guess its just to fit with the fact that I'm taking Mario's place in this area, but that doesn't make it any less ridiculous…" After groaning about my predicament and attempting to rationalize as to why I was put into it, I folded my arms in front of my chest and tapped my foot against the ground.

"Come to think about it, Mario's world is usually perfectly solid, so I wonder what happened to make it and its inhabitants temporarily two-dimensional…I'll have to ask him at a later date, but for now…" Before I got too flustered by the change to my mass and form, I switched my thought process towards the area. It was pretty easy to tell from the atmosphere that this was another one of Bowser's areas, particularly his castle from Paper Mario 64. As to which place I was in it, that was something I had no clue about at the moment. You'd think that the blue glow would be a significant indicator about where I was, but considering that I didn't know just where it was coming from I wasn't able to fully connect the dots.

"Come on Mew, pull it together. If you don't figure this out you might end up getting into big trouble…" Of course, who cared about just my own life at the moment when all the time I was wasting here could lead to the destruction of Plit…I tried to turn my body so I looked out at the gated wall beside me, and this time around my efforts were successful. I saw six torches marked by gateway like metal borders, all of which were placed in a specific order, possibly to provide the solution for an upcoming puzzle. After noting the order of Up, Down, Down, Up, Down, Up, I turned back towards the two pathways provided up ahead and began to walk towards them nice and slowly.

Whether the pattern suggested the path I SHOULD take or the one I shouldn't take is something I hadn't quite recalled, but I decided to go with my gut here and took the upper path through a small, rectangular tunnel. On the other side was another hallway with two staircases off to the side, each marked at the bottom by the glow of an icy blue torch. Since the sides were marked by fences that for some reason I couldn't jump over, I walked towards the staircase and let my body fall down each one with every step I took until I made it to the bottom.

The next room looked the same, but I didn't think that I was going through a repetitious process quite yet. Just in case though, I kneeled down and scratched the rug with the sharp end of my right gauntlet. That way, if I do end up here after the next bottom tunnel, I'll know that my concerns were accurate. I proceeded along my way, making it through the next bottom passage to make it to yet another similar room. I looked down, and was glad to see that my mark wasn't on the rug. So with that concern tossed aside like a pair of socks after a long work day, I continued through the pattern I memorized from the torches until I made it through the final upper passage, at which point another suctioning sound signified that I would be taken away to another area.

When I landed, my eyes were shrouded by darkness, dimming my vision for a few seconds before I was able to adjust to the light from the torches on the wall. I still felt two-dimensional, but this time I felt more pixilated than papery. I squinted my now dotted eyelids in disbelief over the fact that I was now 8-bit, but at least this and the sound of a bubbling lava pit made it easy to figure out that I was in Bowser's final castle from the very first Super Mario Bros. "Boy, this is definitely a blast from the past…" I said, my words being projected onto a 2-D text box in the center of my line of sight.

"At least this time around I know the appearance change was just because this is how I'm familiar with this area. After all, I doubt this world was made 8-Bit so many years ago…" I was unable to fold my arms in front of my chest this time around, something I gravely missed due to how much it helped me concentrate on problems during times of solitude. "I really hope I get my full, solid appearance back really, REALLY soon. These constant changes are starting to annoy me, honestly." With one inaudible sigh, I began to make my way through this castle.

Though it was before the era where they existed, I was able to use my powers as if I had grabbed onto an "Ice Flower" from a "?" block, throwing icy balls that bounced along the grey, brick flooring and encased all the enemies that appeared in a solid, arctic block of…Well, ice. Eventually, after accurate and carefully timed platforming, I made it to a pipe that was ahead and below four square bricks blocks. I knew to enter it, and after a few seconds of sinking and emerging without any spectacle visible before my eyes I was forced to leap forward, where I landed on another pipe and continued on my merry way.

This hallway was shorter, but there was a trick in here that I would have to perform to make it to the next room. After making the lava pit with my longest possible jump, I leaped again to hit the bottom of an invisible coin block and changing it into a visible, solid platform that I swiftly used to reach another pipe that took me to yet another hallway, which only required a few precise jumps and ice balls to traverse until I reached another pipe. Before I entered though, I puffed my 8-Bit cheeks after taking a deep breath inward, because I knew the next area would be underwater.

My vision was then covered with a veil of dark blue and the shine of rotating firebars as I began to swim through the next area, using ice balls to continuously freeze the annoying Bloopers that edged near me. Surprisingly, this was a rather easy area to go through, though that was likely because of my powers breaking the design of this castle. Oh well, whatever works in the end, right? So after enduring the drench of the waters, I entered the nearby pipe from the side, shooting up into dry land once more as my body instantly loses all of the moisture present on my skin, armor and hair.

This was the final room in the castle, and the fireballs trailing in the air overhead signified the final target I had to deal with before I would be finished with this gauntlet. After leaping over a few pipes and bending down to avoid a couple fireballs, I made it to a wooden bridge suspended over the lava, which had a golden axe resting on the other side. Jumping up and down in silence while fireballs thrust from his mouth and hammers were swung through the air was the original Koopa King, Bowser, in all of his 8-Bit glory. This was the first time place where Mario confronted him face-to-face, in a battle that forever entangled the two in conflict.

I knew right off the bat that my ice balls wouldn't do anything to Bowser, and that the only definitive way to stop the Koopa King was to run underneath him mid-jump and touch the axe on the other side. I didn't even care to make a joke or question about just why Bowser had designed things like that, because if I lightened my mood and destroyed any trace of seriousness I could easily miss a chance to push forward and win this battle. Mario would probably shared my sentiments on this matter if I asked him, especially since…Well, he went through this scenario once before.

This required absolute patience and precise timing. One misstep and Bowser would squish me down into nothingness. That's not even getting into what would happen if the hammers or fireballs would hit me. I jumped back and forth to avoid the projectiles as well as I could, paying attention to the intervals between Bowser's jumps and the places he lands on with each leap. He mainly sticks to the back, close to the axe so I wouldn't take advantage of it so easily. Got to give him props for that, honestly, but its not like it was going to do him much good by the end of this.

After a few more seconds of waiting for a chance to move, I see a perfect opportunity arise, and after flashing my eyelids open to peer through the gap that Bowser's leap created I dashed ahead at great speeds. I ran underneath the Koopa King, making it past his tail the moment he landed and allowing my body to touch the axe on the other side. Everything sudden freezes in place as the bridge collapses into the lava, and it only takes a few more seconds for Bowser to suddenly flip upside-down and fall in as well. As the triumphant music began to play in the background, I walked forward against my will, falling off the edge of the floor and into a pit that makes the same suction noise that all other warps have made thus far.

This time when I land, I actually feel the full force of my impact with the ground on my feet, signaling to me that I had regained my flesh, muscle and bone. I tapped the side of my face to confirm that fact, and breathed a happy sigh of relief as I lowered my arm and looked ahead of me. I was in the final tunnel of the Ignitor Cave, which was made entirely out of dark brown rocks with the flow of magma being heard underneath the cracked ground. Up ahead was the final room, which was brightly lit by the glow of a figure far out of view. I slowly walked towards the exit of this tunnel, my arms at the side of my body as I began to think about what I went through in those three areas.

Its easy to see why Mario was so tough. He had all the makings of a hero within him. He was kind, brave, determined, and most importantly motivated. He didn't need the pure raw power that most others wield, for his acrobatic skills allowed him to quickly out-maneuver most foes, and he had the great endurance needed to keep himself going when most others would tire themselves out easily. He was also perceptive, and not only did that allow him to see the solution to puzzles that would stump many others, but it allowed him to take advantage of weaknesses that his enemies have. That's why Mario was going to be tougher than all the others. He didn't have a single trait that I could take advantage of, he was very versatile without him being broken, and he will keep fighting until someone finally destroys his entire body.

That last thing would make things rather troublesome, because I had no intention of killing him, and instead wanted to force him unconscious. Of course, there was one other thing I had to worry about besides Mario, as the battle with the Koopalings did reveal to me…I walked into the expansive cave that was lined with black and grey rocks, and had a floor of pure charcoal that contained the lava flow underneath. In the center of the room in front of a throne made of fire stood the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, his body radiating with a heavenly, starlight glow thanks to the Star Spirit empowered, golden and white appearance he now has along with the white cape attached to his back. His eyes were completely normal in color though his eyebrows were a bit slanted. He wasn't possessed, he wasn't a "Shadow", he was the genuine, true blue Mario.

As I drew my lance over my back with the tug on the handle with my right hand, I stopped midway as I felt the ground vibrate violently, my eyes flinching in dull surprise as the shadow of a behemoth was cast down upon me. Stamping closer to me from behind Mario was a turtle-y creature about six times as tall as Mario was, the scales on his back extended out and the spikes close to them having become elongated in form. His muscle tone had become more defined to fit with his large physique, and the red hair on his head was spread out to the back of his neck. His curved, devilish horns, darker toned skin and blood curling eyes truly complete the demonic being known to many as "Giga Bowser". The gargantuan creature holds no malice towards his usual target Mario as he rears his beastly maw forward and lets out a roar that ruptures both the air and ground in a furious echo in an attempt to unnerve me. But I didn't even flinch as I swung my lance out over my back and smashed the tip against the ground, staring down the beast as it raised its head back up and began to slobber at the sight of me. Mario drew his hands together and sparked golden flames in the palms, which spread out to consume the gloves entirely before he got into his battle pose and prepared to face me in combat with the monstrous form of Bowser standing behind him. This was it, and there was no going back now that I had arrived here. "For the sake of the Mushroom Kingdom, I have to beat its greatest hero and its most persistent threat…"

_Next Time: The Dispersion of the 'Midnight Channel_


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33: Decisive Battle! Mario and Bowser**

I didn't care at all about time right now. Whether I was gone for longer or shorter than I could've anticipated in those three nostalgic areas was not the most important thing to take into consideration here. What did matter was the safety of my own life as I battled Mario and Giga Bowser, for if I were to lose then billions of other lives would perish under the flow of molten magma. But if I survive, then the 'Midnight Channel' vanishes forever from this world. There was no questioning it, my survival was imperative. But what needed to be asked was this… "How was I going to pull if off?"

Speed and variety for Mario, and brute strength for Bowser. Those were their forte, and combined they were a dangerous threat. The thing about Bowser in his current state was that while he hits hard, he had to get close to harm me, and he lacked the speed that me and Mario possessed. However, I can't keep my focus on both of their presences at once in the midst of battle, so the chances of my accidentally getting within range of the berserk Koopa King's strikes was obscenely high. Not to mention Mario would likely work in tandem with him, knocking me into the general vicinity of his devastating claw swipes that could more than likely tear through even solid diamonds.

"Yeah, Bowser has to be beaten first…" I grit my teeth and firmly glared at the beast as I said that, since that is honestly easier whispered than done. After all, Bowser had to have had some serious durability to survive his many, MANY bouts with the famous plumber, and that trait can only have been amplified thanks to his brutish transformation. "Oh well…" I said with a shrug to get me to stop thinking about the situation, since I wouldn't even be here now if I wasn't confident in my victory…Actually, that's not true. Even if I was the slightest bit ill-prepared to fight, I still would have come because it was the right thing for me to do.

Thus, after raising and lowering my fingers one at a time on the handle of my lance, I tightened my grip and swung it outright in an arch that ended with the lance above my left shoulder as a gash opens in the sky and thick icicles thrust themselves at both Mario and Bowser. While the projectiles are like a prickle to the monstrous Koopa as they touch and shatter against his chest, Mario sees them as a threat and reacts accordingly, swinging his blazing fists outward like a furious, intertwining storm in order to break and melt the ice as it approaches his glowing aura.

When my attack has subsided Mario breaks his own onslaught with a forceful, outward swing of his arms. He then pulls his right fist behind his head and charges at me, thrusting its ignited form out like a rampaging train to meet the defense of my nigh invulnerable lance as I bring it down in front of me until the tip is nearly one-inch above the ground. With the impact of his knuckles comes a flaming shockwave caused by the sudden dispersal of the fire around his fist. I then use my lance to jab at Mario horizontally, just so I can get him to weave his body to the right so he ends up where I want him to be.

Not even noticing how strange it was that both of his hands had been dulled of their flames, I lifted and thrust my right foot out to strike Mario in the gut in order to disable him briefly so I can focus all of my efforts on damaging Giga Bowser. However, something tugs at my right leg mid-kick, and the leg is suddenly yet forcibly suspended in the air thanks to Mario wrapping his hands around the bottom half of it. Having previously ducked a bit to stay away from my lance, he stands back up fully as he knocks me head first onto the ground with one tug, the feel of charcoal lasting only a fleeting moment before he lifts me up by both legs and begins to rapidly spin his body around to build up momentum for a throw.

When he finally lets go of me I instantly drop my lance onto the ground and fly towards Giga Bowser without any control of my direction. I lift my body up and curl my back, using my powers to force a wall of ice to protrude from my armor to trick the monster into attacking prematurely and breaking the newly made defense instead of hitting me. However, instead of doing what I had planned for him to do, the beast swings his right claw out in front of me and grabs my body whole, immediately jumping up as high as he could and spinning his body around rapidly while pressing me against his chest until he reached maximum height, at which point he released his grip on me and allowed himself to descend at a rapid pace.

Bowser crushes me against the ground, his bulk somehow not cracking it as he rebounds into the air and gets on his feet in a matter of seconds while I'm launched into the sky with shards of my now broken armor poking into the chain mail wrapped around my skin underneath. Mario leaps above me with a burst of speed, raising his fist and slamming it into my gut with enough force to shift my legs and arms upward before I break away from the force of his blow and crash straight back into the ground below the plumber, the impact of my neck against the charcoal forcing me to cough up a wad of spit that splits and lands on the ground around me.

However, Mario wasn't finished yet, and after swinging his arms up in front of and behind his face he prepared to dash down with enough force that he would surely push me straight into the lava below. I had to react quickly, and with a steady raise of my left hand I forced my lance into the air, thrusting my hand upward to command it to charge straight forth, the tip poking through the side of Mario's clothing and cutting into his skin, making him flinch and slow down long enough for me to crunch my fingers together and summon an Indian hut made entirely of icicles that criss-cross between each other diagonally. Mario punches the ceiling hard, which I am able to see through the clearness of the ice.

This gives me a brief moment to catch my breath as I notice that my right eyelid has been damaged and forced to seal itself halfway. "Shoot…Did I really take that much damage…Shit, I even pointed this out and let this happen…" I had little time to berate myself for my error as Mario doesn't waste any time in lighting his fist on fire to melt through my barrier. I only had a few seconds to get up and get a lock onto my lance with a hurried thrust of the arm, where I then guided it through the air like a missile, not to strike Mario, but to crack an opening in my self-made cage so I can run out. I had no chance of combating Mario in here otherwise.

Thankfully, the lance broke through both sides of the cage with one piercing blow, leaving me an opening that was wide enough for me to tumble through with one thrust of my body in the air. Mario landed on the ground soon afterwards after melting through, his fist colliding with the ground and incinerating the cage with a massive pillar of flame that lasts two seconds. I get up weakly after landing flat against the charcoal floor, pulling my lance up in the grasp of my left hand as I sense Mario quickly charging at me and flinched my eyes in utter shock of this face.

Even though I reacted as quickly as I possibly could, my body was sent backwards in recoil from one punch due to how weak the raising of my lance in defense was. I tumbled, barely able to sustain my balance due to how damaged I was after Bowser's slam. Even after I regained my focus I had to stamp the tip of my weapon into the ground, wiping the sweat that was dripping off of my chin away with one brush of my damaged left gauntlet as I looked at the nearly undamaged Bowser and Mario. I wasn't going to last at this rate, that was something that was very hard for me to admit, but as I stood there weakened and bruised I notice a faint glow sticking out between my right fingers and turned to look at it.

Peeking through them, I saw the triggers glowing lightly, something that had never occurred before in any of the other fights. Sure, I was able to use my other forms during the battles against Shadow Gemini and "Shadow" Geno, but that was only to satisfy the fairness of the RPG boss fight and what-not. Save for that, Mr. Reality hadn't lifted the rule that prevented me from switching forms after entering the a new section of the 'Midnight Channel'. As I panted and looked at the triggers in confusion, a voice rang out in the ears of my mind _"Hurry up and use the triggers! You don't have much time left!" _Whoever it was talking eerily reminded me of the leader of the Genesis Samurais, Zeno Blaze.

Whoever it was, their hasty urging gave me the motivational boost I needed to shake my head and lifted it up courageously, stating with vigor to both of the beings I was fighting and the reality warper who was likely watching from afar "Its time we play this game by my rules!" I thrust my lance in front of my with one hand, even though it strained the tendons in my arm to do so, and moved my fingers towards the grey trigger. "Blow asunder the itinerant skies! Trigger: Wind Reaper!" With a single tug, a veil of fog covers my body, but through the confines that leave me blind I notice Mario reacting to my transformation, not by attacking mind you, but by digging into his pocket and pulling a strange object that looked like a combination of a Mushroom and a rock out of it.

"Huh?" I arched my eyebrows upward in confusion at this event as my transformation unfolds and I wind up in my poncho with my rugged scythe grasped tightly in my newly re-strengthened right hand and my damaged skin renewed as well. I pull my weapon backwards, sucking in a bit of the air towards me that promptly gets absorbed into the bumps on my scythe to give it power for later as I lifted my head up confidently to see what Mario has done with that Mushroom of his. As it turns out, he too has changed forms by letting the power-up fall onto him. Though he still retains the gold and white color scheme from his Star Spirit empowered form, he now wears a rocky helmet instead of his familiar hat and his clothes in general look a bit more blocky in appearance. However, he still retains the scar my lance left him from before, so at least I wouldn't have to worry about him healing any wounds each time he used a power-up.

"Come on then Mario…" I thought to myself as I swung my scythe behind me and dashed forward as quickly as a light breeze, getting near him and swinging my weapon out gently in an attempt to rob the plumber of a bit of oxygen so he would slow down, but the metal of my scythe merely clinked against his hardened clothing without him even flinching in surprise. He raises his head up and does a miniature leap, but before he had a chance to draw rock and other debris around him to create a boulder that would surely ram into me at this range I released a burst of air from one of the bumps on my handle, which hit Mario with enough of a gale that he is thrust through the room and collides straight into the back wall, where his body makes an appropriately sized indent that would prove difficult to remove himself from.

So while he was incapacitated, Giga Bowser finally chose to take charge in the battle, his silence since his one attack showing that he is merely around to follow-up on moves Mario does unless he gets knocked out temporarily. The gargantuan beast opens up by widening his mouth and sending out a flurry of flames in my direction. I leap into the air as the fire scorches the ground in a circular spread around the impact zone, and swing my scythe to launch two thick waves of compressed air straight at the area where Bowser's lungs should be. They push through the body by slipping into the creases of his muscles and skin, dragging out a bit of air from within until they reach the back and disperse without so much as a sound.

Giga Bowser immediately stops with his fire breath so he can take a moment to draw in more oxygen through his mouth, but in the meantime he looks up at me with furious eyes and leaps into the air with a surprising amount of height when you took into consideration his girth. The next few seconds played out rather slowly, as I weaved out of the way of a claw swipe that was meant to set up another grab and watched as the Koopa King took the momentum from his failed attack to begin spinning around, bending his body forward and tucking his limbs and head into his shell as a cold chill protruded from all-around him in a flurry of icy flakes. Before I was hit though, I quickly converted my body into fog and flew out of the vicinity of his attack as gravity took hold and dragged him down to the ground with one mighty thud.

With the beast on the ground I looked down at him from above the center of the room after solidifying my form. I readied my scythe for another attack while he was vulnerable, only for my body to be rammed from by a rolling, mid-air boulder. As I carried me across the sky, I forced my eyelids to stay open even with the air pressing against my face and realized that Mario retained his flight powers in this form. However, what was more concerning than that was that Giga Bowser rose up and waited for me to get close so he could hit me with an overhead swipe. That was something I wasn't about to let happen.

With quick thinking I turned my body into fog, feeling woozy as Mario passes through my ethereal form and takes the brunt of Bowser's swipe, which knocks the boulder upward after breaking apart a small portion of its structure. I waited for the claw to lower down to the beast's side before solidifying once more and slowly backing away from the creature's terrifying range. I then came to a rather unfortunate conclusion. "I have to change forms again…I can't harm Mario while he wears that suit, and his movements are too unpredictable…I can damage Giga Bowser, but it would take too long to down the beast if I keep employing the same pragmatic attacks over and over again…"

I raise my scythe and let my grip slip so my fingers can get near the triggers, and I look up to see Mario ricocheting off the curved wall face above and heading my way. I hoped that by activating my trigger his charge would cease immediately and he would change to another form, so with that thought I pulled at the green trigger while declaring "Lash out at the abhorrence of nature! Trigger: Jungle Whipper!" A couple of poison ivy leaves rise up and spin around me to initiate my transformation, and sure enough Mario pops out of his boulder form and lands on the ground, his appearance flashing back and forth between the Rock Suit and his regular form.

Once I changed into my nature empowered form, Mario returns to his base appearance, obviously since his fireballs would be enough to counter the plants I threw his way. Oh well, at least he can't get all of them I throw his way at once, so if I can just wrap one vine around him it would be easy to get a few strikes in with my whip. After lashing and retracting the segments against the air, I charged down at the plumber at full speed. He prepared his hands with fireballs thinking that I was to strike him with my weapon, only for me to instead swing it out and launched seeds from between the segments that plant themselves on the ground all-around the plumber and begin to blossom.

As the vines from the seeds launch out and crackle the ground, Mario reacts with impeccable timing, flinging his fists around to react to each and every one of them before they get even an inch close to his body, setting them ablaze and causing them to turn brown and become ash in a matter of seconds. However, one penetrates that perimeter and begins to wrap itself around Mario's gut as he has turned away from me. As the violent tendril screeches upon reaching the right side of his body, the plumber thrusts his hand down and latches his fingers around the head, crushing it tightly to halt its movements while he puts his other hand around the other side of the vine.

He then merciless incinerates the vine down to the last fiber, the ashes fading as they fall and he turns around rapidly like a cyclone with his flaming fists extended, somehow sensing the bombardment of rose petals I had sent his way and burning them all to a crisp just like he did everything else I threw at him. However, while I mounted a defensive pose on the ground in case this next move failed, my mind was hard at work manipulating the two remaining vine seeds I had placed into the ground below Mario's feet without his notice. After I accelerated their growth, they busted out from the charcoal and though their forms were stained with the blackened dust they thrust through the tornado that the plumber had turned himself into and latched themselves around the elbows to force him to stop instantly.

Mario is then lifted up into the air against his will, his flaming hands put out by the strain forced around his wrists. However, the plumber unsurprisingly keeps his cool despite the pain he should be suffering. I arched my eyebrows in suspicion, since the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom was giving tell-tale signs that he had something planned in his current predicament. The fact that Giga Bowser wasn't attacking even though his partner was incapacitated was also rather dubious. Still, I had to attack, and I quickly lashed my whip forward through the air to try and take advantage of the wound I had inflicted on Mario not too long ago.

Sure enough, Mario's eyelids slant and the eyes themselves flare up in courageous determination, and after forcibly pulling the vines closer together by folding his arms in front of his chest he uses his flight powers to flip himself upside-down so my attack passes harmlessly below his head. While he focuses on my weapon though after briefly glancing up at me, I swing it upward the very second his fists ignite and burn away the vines keeping him in place. With the spiky metal colliding with his head, Mario is launched into the air, the spikes themselves doing little to him save for damaging his famous hat.

The moment he recovers though I stamp the ground, sending a crack spiraling across the floor and up the wall until it is straight behind the plumber, at which point a gigantic wooden stump ruptures through the thick layers of rock and smashes Mario right in the back, sending him hurtling towards me as I hear the feint sound of his bones cracking. I ready my whip to strike, focusing entirely on the plumber's descending figure as the segments swirl around my body to protect me from all outside harm.

I then hear a sudden vibration in the ground, and without warning my body flinches on instinct upon seeing a sudden wave of lava pop out from the very crack I had made earlier. This catches me off guard, and by the time I noticed that Giga Bowser was responsibly for this distraction I had already broken my guard to protect myself from the lava and gave Mario a perfect chance to recover and slam the full power of his blazing right fist into my chest, which leaves a scorching black indent as my body proceeds to be launched across the ground, my bare feet scraping the charcoal ground and setting off sparks that leave a trail in front of me before I finally collide with the wall and make a massive indent that nearly crumbles a large portion of the rocks off onto me.

"Gah…That really stung…" I noted as I peel myself out of my own body shaped indent and take an accidental whiff of the smoke rising off of my own body. Needless to say the smell of burning skin tissue wasn't something I wanted to experience again, and I likely never would if I kept up performing like this. Still, it was nice to know that my efforts were doing some good against Mario, seeing as his blow wasn't as strong as it could have been, not to mention that he is looking a bit limp in his posture. I had a while to go, but progress was still progress and I was grateful to be making some.

"I still got a bit of energy left…I'll perform a few more attacks, and then switch forms and try and target Giga Bowser a bit." My first move after thinking my strategy through was to whip my weapon against the center of the ground in front of me, two seeds splitting off from the end segment and coursing through the ground for a few seconds before the hyper accelerated growth causes them to take form underneath the watchful eyes of my opponents. The roots crawl out of the ground, swirling out in a twisted, condensed form that leaps through the air in an arch surrounded by thorns before they dig back down and advance rapidly towards Mario. I wanted the plumber to get a glimpse of what I was sending his way so he would preemptively ignite his hands to take care of them.

However, as I commanded the roots to burst through the ground and thrust themselves straight at Mario, I gave the plumber a light smirk of cockiness, seeing as I had made the roots entirely out of Cumaru wood, which was the most fire resistant wood in the known universe. So when Mario tossed his fireballs out, while he did manage to set them ablaze they didn't instantly turn to ash much like he expected them to, and continued charging quickly enough to lash across his shoulders and make him wince in pain from the combined strength of his own flames and the thorns. As the roots retracted, Mario flipped backwards to avoid being in the range of another strike.

However, I wasn't about to let him out of my sight, and as he flew diagonally upwards and away from the ground I thrust my left hand out towards him to command the roots to strike out into the air, departing the sanctity of the ground with much life left in their structures despite how scorched their appearance was. But all it takes is a clap of Giga Bowser's hands with the two roots struck between them and they are crushed with no hope of ever living again, the sentient beings letting out a shriveled screech before they fall to the ground and fade into ashes that blend in perfectly with the charcoal floor.

"Alright, so much for that option…" I swing my whip out to the side, retracting the segments before holding the weapon front and center and placing my hands around the handle with fingers near the yellow trigger. "Pierce the roaring flash of lightning! Trigger: Lightning Sni-" I see Mario land on the ground and flip out a Cloud Flower from his overalls, as he feels as though he has predicted my next transformation and is preparing a suit to counter it. However, he fell right into my trap, and I quickly switch my fingers to pull the blue trigger without saying a word nor without catching the suspicions of the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom.

After my body becomes covered in a water bubble that quickly burst and leaves me in my next form, I see Mario with the Cloud Suit already on and quickly pull my trident out and brandish it after a quick spin, summoning a stream of water from a thin portal in the air that flies out and lands on the plumber gently, causing his suit to quickly fade away and leaving him in his previous state with his eyebrows raising slightly in shock. I could tell that Mario wasn't going to risk fighting me right now when he I had covered him in water, so he backflips behind Giga Bowser and lets him take the helm while he dries off.

The beast nods his head as the plumber gets behind his shell, and with a mighty stamp of the ground he dashes at me by bending down and grinding across the floor as if he were a type of motor vehicle. He then leaps head first towards me, my own leap managing to get me over his body as it falls to the ground and sends a powerful tremor throughout the room. A few pieces of debris crack off from the ceiling and land on the ground around the mighty beast as he pulls himself up and leaps into the air without pause, curling into his shell and attempting the same freezing spin move he did when I was in my Sky form.

This was actually a threat to me, but this time around I had to swerve and fly my way out of the range of the ice, which ends with only my right arm getting frozen from a brief touch of the chilly wind. "Shit!" I thought with teeth clenched in pain from having to endure the sub-arctic cold gripping my skin tightly. I had to quickly get to work to remove the thick sheets of ice, otherwise I would be unable to readily defend myself against Giga Bowser's next attack. I motioned my left hand from the tip of my belted staff to the ice, drawing out hot water form the emergency reserve in the jeweled tip that I splash against it to raise the temperature of the frozen material.

It begins to crack in a matter of seconds, and as soon as my muscles receive the water that seeps through the cracks I would be able to break free. In the meantime though I saw Giga Bowser leaping out again, his eyes glaring bright red and surprisingly close to me as he opens his jaw up wide and draws in heat from the air to power the bright orange-red glow within the backside of his mouth, his mind fully intent to burn me until I was nothing more than steam against the wall. Within seconds of silence I flex my right arm muscles and break the ice in a panic, thrusting my trident forward as the heat forces sweat unto my body.

"HRAAAAH!" I yell out as three separate torrents of water thrusts itself from the prongs of the trident and combine together into a powerful beam that meets the flamethrower in the middle of the monster's mouth, the two forces clashing in a battle of dominance of which neither chooses to give way for the other. It was rather surprising really. You'd think that water would win straight out against any fire, but at the same time high amounts of heat pressing against water causes it to evaporate. It all depended on how long and how strong one could keep the opposing element going for, really, but I wouldn't expect a mindless beast to grasp the concept of what I was thinking.

As I narrowed my eyes I focused as hard as I could on the water I was spewing out from my weapon, and with hardened determination I increase the amount of pressure protruding out of it. This forces the flames back into the beast's mouth, flooding its scaly confines to the point that some of the excess splashes out against my face after being infused with some of the creature's saliva. I barely flinch as this gooey mixture touches my skin and my attack hits the back of Giga Bowser's esophagus, launching him through the air until he collides with the back of the wall, impaling into it thanks to the spikes on his shell.

Some of the water from my attack drips down and sticks to the beast's chest and nether regions, but unfortunately for me he falls off the wall without his own influence and lands on the ground, which would surely cause him to be dried off by the time he gets back up. As I focused on his body, I noticed that Mario was not around, even though he should've been right below Giga Bowser before he became detached from the wall. I knew what this meant, but even I had no time to react to the plumber's next move as he appeared behind me with the gale from the speed of flight just now catching up to my body and ruffling my hair a bit as I turn around to face the plumber.

His fist swings out like a heavy cannonball meant to blow my head clean off, but with a quick raise of my trident I manage to block the strike with only traces of the flames bristling between the prongs and gently lapping against my face. The tingling sensation the heat bring vibrates through my body and gives me goosebumps after I readjust to the room's temperature. I couldn't let Mario get too many blows in on me, especially since I needed to drench Giga Bowser again and switch to my Lightning form to finish him off quickly. I had to act quickly, otherwise Mario WILL catch on to my plan and take me down before I had a chance to deal the definitive blow.

"Come on Mew, focus…" I think to motivate myself into concentration as I twisted my hands slightly to position my trident diagonally and tried to force Mario's fists off of it with a powerful swing downward. Not wanting to risk breaking the bones in his wrist in an attempt to penetrate my defense, Mario pulls his limbs back and flies backwards, turning his feet so they stick to the wall and allow him to push off of it to fling himself through the air above my head as I swing my trident outward with water wrapped around it in hopes of lashing the plumber with a powerful strike that would leave him incapacitated against the wall.

With his swift movements having outsmarted me, I turn around and see him descend towards the ground, flicking his hands out of his overalls to toss up an icy blue flower that connects with his body and causes his figure to flash back and forth multiple times as his model changes to that of a golden, crystalline being with an arctic chill surrounding his form. He was now wearing an Ice Suit, albeit the "Galaxy" variation instead of the "New Super Mario Bros." one. He lands on the ground, immediately stamping the open palm of his right hand onto it to create a hexagon platform of ice that erupts into a series of miniature icicles around the border.

The plumber turns around and begins to run along the ground, his speed increasing with every platform that is created below his skating feet. He flicks ice balls out casually to keep his trail going until he is only a foot away from being below me, at which point he leaps into the air, the momentum from his run giving him enough height to reach the halfway point of the wall that is between me and the ground, using one more ice balls to grow a stick of ice that he grabs after twisting his body to the side and holding his hands upward to latch onto it.

He then spins himself around it as I turn towards him and without hesitation send a blast of water straight from my right palm after flipping my trident into the grasp of my left hand. He launches himself off two seconds before the heated blast collides with the wall and sends water flying everywhere, melting the ice pole off and leaving me focused entirely on where Mario plans to go next. The plumber, as he falls, tosses out an ice ball that manages to create a thick enough platform for him to stand on that's connected to the wall on the right. After a brief moment of tumbling forward the plumber wastes little time in getting a move on across more self-made platforms as I launch a steady barrage of water bullets that merely serve to break apart the ice platforms so he doesn't perform a backflip and retread across them to escape me.

After getting as close as I can to Mario with a bullet I throw my trident with a quick raise of my left arm, letting go at the halfway point so the weapon obtains maximum speed and gives Mario little time to strike back against it. Of course, defensive blows aren't the only one to stop and obstacle or projectiles, and the plumber comes up with a rather simple solution that saves him the trouble of having to even LOOK at my trident. He leaps into the air over the handle of my weapon and throws an ice ball downward as the prongs puncture the wall and the water I had secretly stored within them begins to leak out from the cracked holes. In the span of three seconds, Mario creates and land on another ice platform and narrowly escapes the geyser that bursts out in an attempt to consume and launch him towards me.

I had to admit, I did end up freezing in place and glaring at Mario in disbelief after he performed that maneuver, and the plumber quickly turned towards me and took advantage of my frozen pose to launch four ice balls at each of my limbs. They connect with the wrists and ankles, solidifying them in blossoms of permafrost that weight me down and somehow manage to knock me out of my flight. By the time I realized what was going on I was already plummeting towards the ground, with Giga Bowser leaping into the air and folding his body into a position where he would easily be able to squish me upon descending.

I had to react quickly as I usual do in these situations, using my mind to drag the last drops of water from my staff so I can melt the ice off my weighted right hand. Upon finishing this process I draw out the moisture from my own sweat with my freed hand in order to melt the ice off the opposing limb, leaving both of them freed so I can thrust them upwards and clap in a panic. From the center of my fingers comes the biggest torrent of water that I could physically muster, which not only propels me into the ground and nearly breaks my spine in two, but also collides with the underside of Giga Bowser and hits him with enough pressure that his body's descent is suspended long enough for me to recover from my fall.

I weakly lifted my body up, my right arm twitch as my legs showed difficulty in standing due to the ice that was weighing them down. Mario waited for me off to the left, standing confidently in place with his arms firmly grasped as his side. Three seconds until the water stops running and Giga Bowser plummets, but I wasn't going to put Mario in harms way. So with a weakened wave of the hand and a plan already brewing in my head I saw the plumber charge at me and leaped backwards ten feet through the air, moving us both out of the range of Giga Bowser as he pounds the ground with his rear end.

Mario tosses an ice ball that I quickly cut through with the middle tip of my trident's prongs as I flip it around casually and move my fingers towards the yellow trigger. I didn't need to say the phrase this time around, and pulled it to summon the lightning bolt that would force me and Mario's transformations. As I am surrounded by the armor of purest lightning, I notice that the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom has been forced back into his normal, Star Spirit empowered appearance. I theorized that Mario could only use each suit once, and since I had taken care of the Cloud suit in one shot he wouldn't bust it out again.

However, that wasn't the most important thing to focus on. As I stared down Mario from above and backed my body up with the boosters on my feet, I cocked my rifle into the air with my right hand, pulling the trigger to release a light flare from the barrel that would signal to the heavens to launch an attack at my enemy. No, it wasn't Mario I was planning to smite with the full fury of the gods of thunder, but someone else who was unfortunate to come in contact with the water I had used in self-defense. The roar of thunder is the call that makes Mario shifts his head around in confusion and puts him on guard as he moves his hands towards the hilt of his cape and peers back and forth.

I lift my head up to look at Giga Bowser, my desired target, as the beast lumbers off the ground and prepares to turn and face me, only for the ceiling to tear apart above him, annihilated by a lightning bolt that was even more monstrous than he was. As the bottom of the bolt pierces the ground and electrocutes Giga Bowser down to the very core, Mario's eyelids thrust up in unhinged surprise upon hearing the pained roar and screech of the mighty beast, whose pain was only amplified by the water that had attached itself to his skin. You could barely make out the beast's figure from behind the shroud of screeching lightning, but when it finally comes to an end the scars of my attack were as plain as could be.

With his skin singed beyond recognition and smoke pouring out from all parts of his body, it was any wonder that the creature's pupils were still visible after that violent assault. Of course, if burning the Koopa King's skin off wouldn't kill him, then a lightning bolt of that magnitude isn't going to do the job either, thankfully. After leaning forward and collapsing onto the ground, the beast is surrounded by a pale, unearthly glow and his body shrinks down as the transformation was undone and the Koopa King was finally returned to his regular size and appearance, unconscious and forever out of this battle.

That just left Mario, who after seeing his comrade falling from over his shoulder turns towards me with eyes flaring with righteous fury, which is reflected in the intensity of the fireballs he produces in both of his hands. He pounds the air beside him with both fists, summoning around him a luminescent, golden/white aura that is as powerful as powerful as the flames around his fists. The plumber had unleashed his full power, ready to use it all against me to avenge his fallen foe and partial ally. Even though he fought against me for the sake of Mr. Reality's game, every action he performed just reeked of the real Mario.

Still, I was a bit concerned about seeing him use his full power at this point in the battle. I was down to this form and my Earth one, which meant only one heal remained, and I had to use it wisely. Not to mention that I had used up a lot of my rifle's ammunition to waste Giga Bowser, so I had to be conservative in the attacks I used that relied on it. After cocking my smoking barrel to disperse said smoke, I handled the weapon perfectly in both hands and aimed at Mario while he was still charging up in place. With a quick piercing bolt aimed at his right shoulder, I had hope to incapacitate the limb Mario was more used to using to make my battle easier, only for the plumber to swipe his hand through the bolt's line of fire and swat the projectile away as if it were nothing more than a fly in the air.

His glove wasn't even singed, for the aura diluted the strength of the bolt. Simple shots weren't going to cut it anymore, I would really have to strike hard if I had any chance of finishing this battle now. "Well that's just great…" I say with disdain after I sigh and pull my rifle over my shoulder. I then blink my eyelids once, and my scanners don't have nearly enough to give me a warning as Mario closes the gap by appearing in front of my with his right hand already halfway towards my helmet. With widened eyes I try to force my weapon outward in the one second I have left, but the plumber forces his burning hand against my visor and grasps around it tightly.

In any other armor, this burning sensation would signify the end of my life, for that would mean that the metal would be melting and preparing to burn through my flesh and into my brain. However, with solidified lightning as the base element, all I had to worry about was the safety of my neck bones as Mario forcibly tries to push my head to the left so he can dunk my body into the ground with one singular push. As I struggle against his move while gritting my teeth as sweat drips down through the cracks below the gums, I take my rifle and turn it so the barrel would fire across the front of Mario's chest if I get a chance to pull the trigger.

The plumber notices my movement though and with the freedom of his other hand still intact he slams his palm against the barrel to push it away from its current line of fire so I can no longer harm him. He then finishes up his prior maneuver by taking his fingers around the barrel of my gun and pulling it right out of my loosened grip, and presses my face down with enough force that I am slammed against the ground in a matter of seconds, my helmet feeling the full brunt of the charcoal as its grinded up and thrown about with a few pieces nearly entering my mouth.

When Mario finally stops dragging me along the ground, he uses his hand to rip my helmet right off of my face, letting my head sink into the edge of the trench he created as he pulls his body up and tosses my protection away while taking his left hand and holding it out ready to incinerate me with one shot. My head, the most vulnerable part, was where the palm was aiming at, and I had to quickly react to his move or I would be dead. I glared out at my rifle, commanding it to rise up with a mere thought while also switching the ammunition around so a paralyzing shot would fire out of the barrel next.

It positions itself perfectly behind the plumber, who is unaware of its existence as the trigger clicks and fires a bolt that punctures Mario's aura and strikes him square in the back, releasing a field of electricity that covers his whole body and makes his muscles spasm uncontrollably, releasing the flames from his glove and giving me plenty of time to plant my hands behind me and launch my feet forward through the air to kick him square in the gut with enough force to send him hurtling into the faraway wall, a cloud of stony dust covering him after he connects that obscures his posture against the crater his impact made.

I got up and called my rifle back to me, lifting it high into the air and moving my fingers towards the brown trigger while declaring the pre-transformation chant "Crack open the reclusive earth! Trigger: Gaia Bruiser!" As the layer of mud needed to change my form covers my body, I think about the battle up until this point and realize a grave truth. The reason I had been having such a difficult time against the plumber is because I was too afraid to cause permanent harm with my long-range moves, and scaled back the power of my attacks to the point that they were more easily countered than they should have been.

Besides, its not like those type of moves would wear Mario down quickly and get him unconscious like I wanted him to be. No, I had to hit him with physical blows, engage him in hand-to-hand combat and overpower his own blows so I could strike at his body. All I needed to do is keep my strength up until I broke through whatever defenses he tossed my way, and then purposely weaken myself so I don't accidentally break the plumber's bones and have him bleed too much. The mud cracked around my body as I finished thinking about this, and though the hammer was gripped high above me in both hand I swung it behind and away from me because the range of it would actually leave me with too many openings if my swing were to fail to connect.

You know, I honestly could have broken up the energy reserve right then and there, but I had a gut feeling that even if I did that Mario wouldn't have been freed. I needed to defeat him to secure victory, no matter how hard that endeavor was proving to be. I pounded my fists together, my renewed knuckles cracking tightly as I flexed my muscles once and say the dust disperse in front of Mario. He was now in a new suit, surprising considering the fact that he still appeared to be implanted into the wall. Either way, he was now wearing golden shelled armor and a similar helmet, his shoes now leather in texture while a hammer is gripped in both hands.

This was one of Mario's most famous suits, the "Hammer Bros. Suit", and I could understand quite easily as to why he chose to use this one against this form of mine. "Sorry to disappoint Mario, you aren't going to be breaking any rocks today…" I smirk and spring across the ground, my fists dragging through the air behind me as my feet tear up the ground with each rapid step. Mario pulls himself from the wall and forces himself across the air as he falls, landing in front of Bowser's fallen body and dashing outward without a care as his aura tears apart the ground while the lips of his hammers dig up two trails behind his feet.

Mario then swings his arms up as we meet in the center and I swing my earthquake empowered fist out, crossing his hammers in an "X" formation to readily block my punch like it was nothing, firming his stance as the force of my tremor pushes the ground downward to create a widespread yet thin crater below both of our feet. There was a light crack put into the handle of the right hammer, but I could only take advantage of it by pulling my fist back and allowing him a few seconds to swing out at me.

I proceeded to do that, charging my strength in reserve for another strike as Mario arches the swings of his hammers in two different directions to keep my movements contained in one specific area while he jumps and flips his foot around in an attempt to kick me. My free arm raises up and catches his foot with an open hand, but he kicks off of it and flips through the air before I can get a chance to grab it. After landing on the edge of the crater he tosses two hammers my way, forcing me to raise my arms in guard to rebound them off the skin, only for Mario to leap through the air and pound me straight on with both feet, which causes me to skid backwards barefooted for ten feet until I suddenly stop.

I see Mario picking his hammers back up after landing from over my crossed arms, and I quickly kick my heel against the ground to send a line of rocky spikes at the plumber to get him into the air to avoid it. I then leap up and swing my elbow at him, spiking him into the ground by smashing him against the top of his helmet. He falls onto his body stomach first, though the hammers stay grasped in his hands as tightly as possible. He pulled himself up before I could bring both of my elbows down upon his back like a pair of hammers, and after he leaps out of the way he flings one hammer into my forehead.

My head is flung back in recoil, my body swaying against the cloud of debris nice and slowly while the plumber stands his ground and grabs the hammer as it returns from the rebound off of my head. He then smacks his weapons together and pounds them both into the ground like a massive guillotine, cracking apart a portion of the charcoal flooring like a massive fissure and causing it to split apart, revealing the river of lava underneath. If I didn't recover from my daze, my body would lean forward and fall in. I knew this, and quickly recovered just in time to plant my hands against the sides of the fissure.

I then used them to vault myself into the air, narrowly avoiding both hammers tossed at me as I spun around and kicked Mario square in the jaw, knocking him off of his firmed stance and sending him hurtling through the air until he lands seven feet away from the edge of the crater. His hammers were gone for the moment, but I knew he could bring out more if given the proper amount of time. I ran out as the plumber lifted himself up and leaned on his right arm, wiping some blood dripping out of the corner of his mouth with the appropriate glove as he turns and sees me coming.

He uses the placement of his right hand to kick himself up, spinning his body around quickly enough to trip me up as I prepared to leap up and punch him from above. As my body tumbled through the air Mario got on his knees and leaped up high, pulling out a hammer that he uses to uppercut me in the jaw and lead into a series of rapid hammer blows from both hands which finally ends when he swirls his weapons above his head like a helicopter in order to get a little more height necessary to piledrive me into the ground with one powerful blow to the head.

If it wasn't for me quickly raising my left arm in defense, I'd be left with a major concussion and would definitely have lost this battle not long afterwards. Still, despite the lower bones in my legs cracking upon impacting the floor, I get up weakly and stare at Mario as he lands, and I stare into his fiercely determined eyes and suddenly realize something I hadn't quite noticed up until now. He was looking at me with anger the likes of which he had never used since the time he fought Bowser in this very room. I got to thinking about that for a moment, and came to the conclusion that Mr. Reality must have made it so Mario saw me as one of his enemies while also making him believe that Peach was in danger because of me. He wouldn't care about Bowser's presence then, since they had teamed up before in the past to save the Princess and all.

"Sorry Mario, but your Princess is back in her home castle." I said coyly to the plumber, even though I knew he wouldn't either listen or believe me. Mario knocked his hammers together and charged at me, and as I stood there patiently I analyzed his movements, seeing his right arm twitch and reacting to his swing by throwing a powerful punch from my right hand that strikes below the range of his hammer and hits the underside of his wrist, causing him to wince in pain as the weapon drops out of his hand and leaves him with only one way to defend himself.

He stands merely three inches away from me and tries to attack my weakened legs with a lower swing, only for me to block it with my left hand, throwing it out of alignment just to make sure that I wouldn't tumble onto my knees. Though Mario was being a bit pragmatic in his tactics, he wasn't the only one who could behave that way in the midst of battle, and with a swift blow to the part of his armor close to where his bleeding scar was I cause the plate to press against the open wound and make Mario bite his lip to control the agony overwhelming his body.

"Mario, I really hate to do this to you, but I have to save the planet. It was kind of fun if not a bit sad fighting you, and I do admit that you gave me a hard time alongside Giga Bowser…Perhaps when this all settles, we can have a more friendly battle…But for now…" Hesitantly yet tightly clenching my right fist as I build up energy and cause the very room around me to tremble from the amount of pressure I am exuding from the act of firming my feet against the ground, I keep Mario in place with my left hand weakly grasped around his right arm and pull my fist back slightly.

"Its time to save this world!" I boldly declare, and without any boisterous cries I thrust my fist out, the impact with Mario's gut sending a powerful, echoing vibration across the floor and walls around us. Many rocky fragments break off of the walls and crash onto the ground, filling the atmosphere with dust for a few brief moments as silence descends upon the battlefield. The plumber's eyes widen in surprise and pain as my fist broke through his armor and struck him hard in the gut. I didn't go past the skin though, thankfully for him, but the vibrations that shook his body wore out his muscles to the point of exhaustion.

I pull my limb out and let Mario fall to the ground, his suit fading away and leaving him in his Star Spirit empowered form once more for but a few seconds until he returns to the red and blue garb that everyone is more familiar with. I let out a sigh of relief that the battle was finally over, but realized that I likely didn't have much time until the lava would burst through the walls and flood the room, especially now that I had ended the battle like that and weakened them. So with a quick turn around I looked at my hammer, which was planted into the ground far away from me.

I used my hand to thrust it into the air, and ran towards the throne of fire with all the strength that was left in my body. After getting halfway there I leaped up to meet my hammer, grabbing it in my right hand and hold it high above and behind me as I focused firmly on the throne that I was going to meet after my rapid descent. I could feel my vision fading due to how exhausted I was, but forced myself to keep going until the final energy reserve was broken open. The next few seconds are something I barely recall, as I bring my hammer down upon the seat of the throne and release the red energy trapped underneath, restoring the fire element and returning the entire planet back to its normal state of existence. I land on my knees with my hammer barely grasped and my body just a millisecond away from collapsing. Before I fall though, I let out a joyous grin, for I knew that I had done a great thing here today…

…...

"_So you have beaten the seven temples and the guardians I had created for you to defeat. The energy reserves have been broken open, and the elements have been restored. No longer will the 'Midnight Channel' exist on this planet, and no longer will the heroes you so cherish ever have to witness their Shadows. But you have disappointed me…To beat the final temple, you somehow managed to break the rules of my game, and for that the consequences shall be dire. Rest now while you can, young one, but when you awaken, I will deal with you using the very remnant of the Overlord's greatest power…"_

_Next Time: The Koopalings and the Koopa Kin_


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: Calm Before the Storm of Reality**

"Ugh…" I groaned tiredly, my slumber having been rather uneventful. My body was lying flat on its back, meaning that only the skin on my arms was able to feel the ground below me. It didn't feel too rough like I would've expected charcoal to be, which means that I had been moved a new location, one that was noticeably cooler than the Ignitor Cave yet still warm enough to make my body feel above its normal temperature. I cracked my eyelids open and lifted my head up first off, checking my shirt and noticing that I was back to my normal self. My sword was lying on the ground beside me, the flames diluted yet all seven triggers now had their colors restored.

"So I did pull it off…" I thought to myself, the tone of my inner voice showing little happiness due something I recalled from before I slipped into unconscious. I knew that Mr. Reality had spoken to me telepathically, yet he was clearly upset at me, and apparently I had 'cheated' in the final temple to take care of it. Sure, I did use the other Elemental Forms, but considering I have nary a clue about just how I was allowed to do that I couldn't really be held at fault now could I? Still, he delivered a threat to me, saying that he would "Use the remnant of the Overlord's greatest power against me".

From that message, I theorized that perhaps Alpha's own theory about the final battleground was correct, and that the alien would restore the Origin Temple. This time though, he'd use it as a fortress and attack me at an unprecedented time. "Would he really go that far?" I asked myself quietly and with a little doubt before shaking my head to disperse those suspicions and say in turn "Who am I kidding here? The guy is crazy, of course he would…" After which I lifted my upper body up all the way and grabbed onto the handle of my sword, looking at my reflection in the blade before dispelling it in a puff of fire.

"Its good to have all my elemental powers back, at the very least." I switched back to a joyous accent as I took a look around the room I was in. The walls were very abysmal as far as coloring went, the grey and black bricks and pillars reminding me much of my first encounter with the 'Midnight Channel' until a quick look at the golden, lit torches in the room reminded me of something that I had forgotten since I acquired it. Quickly shuffling my hands around my body in search of a solid lump, I nearly break into a panic until my right hand pats down on the opposite pocket of my pants, at which point I dig my hand into it and pull out the Time Stone safe and sound.

"Whew…Thank heavens this is still here." A relived sigh and pleasant sentence punctuated my joy before I put the Time Stone back into my pocket and close my eyelids to think about something for a moment. "I do have to wonder how it got into my pocket though…Last I checked I put it in my armor." I then opened my eyelids up, looked at the ceiling with a smile on my face, and said out loud "Of course! My multiple transformations must have shifted the location of the Time Stone to a safer part of my body since the armor was no longer there to keep it in place!" It wasn't a sound theory, but it was honestly the best one I could muster.

After declaring that, I started to lift my body up all the way, since my stiffening muscles needed to stretch before I continued moving on. Partway through my rise, I stare forward and notice something that didn't catch my eye before, that being an onyx statue of Bowser planted on top of a medium-sized pedestal. "Oh, so I guess this is Bowser's Castle…He must have regained consciousness and brought me and Mario here after the battle…" I wasn't entirely certain about the second part of my sentence, until I rationalized that if the Koopa King went through the trouble of rescuing me then he must've gotten his rival/enemy as well.

"You would be right in that assumption, gwahahaha!" The bellowing laughter makes me turn my head straight to the right, where I find that the red carpet leads to a red-scaled seated throne where the Koopa King is currently sitting down on, his right elbow leaning against the arm of it as he stares down at me with an eyebrow raised. "…Umm, how long were you sitting there for?" Was the first thing I said in embarrassment as I turned my full body towards him. "For a few hours. Not really much to do around here this morning considering that Kamek is off tending to the Koopalings and my son, Kammy is guarding the Princess since Mario asked me kindly to make sure she was alright before he fell asleep at the Ignitor Cave, and I sent all of my men to join Alpha's ranks temporarily to defend in case that alien were to attack. So while Mario is resting in the only remaining bed in those castle, I decided to bring you here and keep watch until you woke up."

Bowser spoke in a reluctant, rather bored tone of voice, and I could tell from the way he leaned that he was really tired and would be better off getting some sleep instead of sitting around keeping an eye on me. But still, it was rather kind of him to do everything he said he did, so with a smile of thankfulness I said to him "That was generous of you, Koopa King." After looking away for a moment, the Koopa King turned back to me and with a glance showing his inattentiveness, or perhaps one that expressed his denial of my thanks he said to me "Huh? Oh…Yeah, it was nothing…" But then he sits up straight and pushes himself on off of his throne, standing firmly after the ground rumbles around him and folds his arms in front of his chest, adding on to that comment in a tone of absolute brashness "But don't get used to it kid! My assistance is only temporary. Once that stinking alien has been taken care of, things will go back to normal!"

"Hahaha!" I laughed happily at Bowser's sudden shift in behavior, but after I opened my eyelids suddenly I asked him "Oh yeah, so I guess you got caught up on the situation huh?" The Koopa King puts his arms back in their normal positions before staring at me and speaking in a polite yet gruff tone of voice "Yeah, Kamek happened to be outside the range of that 'Midnight Channel' or whatever when the Nova Cesspool and Dark Land were the only two areas left, and Alpha caught up to him and gave him the information to hand over to me when I came back. I swear, the only good channel is one that appears on a T.V…."

Bowser cracks a slight joke at the situation that sounded very much like him, guffawing at his own humor alongside me before silence set in for a few seconds, broken only by yet another show of appreciation "Seriously though, thanks for saving me and Mario. I'm sure it must have strained you to carry us through the Ignitor Cave, grab all of your kids, and get on a Doomship to fly back here, but you really do have my gratitude for this Bowser." Bowser rolls his eyes and scoffs at my genuine thanks, even though deep down I knew he was appreciative of it. "It was nothing, really…You did save us after all. Not just me and Mario, but the Koopalings and my son as well."

"Huh?" I noticed something odd about that last sentence, especially since this wasn't the first time he had referred to the Koopalings and Bowser Junior separately instead of one conglomerate word. "Why don't you just call them your children? That would be simpler, wouldn't it?" Bowser became a bit evasive after that, as he shifted his eyes back and forth suspiciously and tried to stay silent to avoid the subject until I pushed him on gently and said "Its just you and me, if you want to enlighten me, I won't tell anyone." The Koopa King looked at me and sighed, hanging his head for a second before looking up and saying in a rather fatherly and embarrassed tone "The thing is, out of the eight of them, only Junior comes from my bloodline."

"You see, before I set my sights on the Mushroom Kingdom, I was perfectly content with sitting in my castle with my lovely wife, as the two of us hoped to one day have a kid of our own. Part of our reasoning for wanting one was to have a full family, but I also wanted to do to our son what my dad never did to me, and that was be caring and raise him to be a benevolent ruler instead of a tyrant who ruled with fear and brute force. I guess either the Star Spirits or some higher power must have been listening to our wishes, because one strangely rainy day in our lands I heard a thump from the front door as I wandered through the main hallway of the castle."

"I walked up and swung them open, seeing a shadowy being scampering across the castle walls and leaping out into the lava pit beyond the drawbridge before he completely vanishes in a flash of lightning. I looked down, and found seven carriages, each one containing a different little Koopa that looked like they had descended from royal blood, much like I did. It was a rather suspicious thing to see, especially since only me and my wife were considered royalty after the reformation of the Koopa Empire following my father's death. Whatever the circumstances may have been though, what I saw was seven younglings sitting out in the cold rain without any parents in sight, so I did the right thing and took them into my castle."

"We tried to find out where they had come from, especially since each of them had distinctive features which would suggest multiple parents, but came up with no leads in the end. So we decided to adopt the seven of them, naming them after our cousins and in Morton's case my late uncle, who was more of a father to me than my own. We finally had a family of our own, our wishes answered. However, things ended up taking a turn for the worst a few years later. You see, the sudden appearance of seven kids meant our income had to be redirected towards taking care of them, and eventually it got to the point where we had to sell some of our property to make ends meet."

"Eventually our once regal castle became the damp, dark place you see before you now. Our troubles weren't over though. About seven years ago, my wife ended up pregnant with Junior, going into labor nine months later…At the cost of her life." Bowser became solemn for a moment after saying that, a tear nearly trickling down his right cheek as he looks away from me and I in turn go quiet and my heart skips a beat. "I-I'm so sorry to hear that." I said to give my condolences. The Koopa King looks back up after a light sniffle and says while keeping himself together "Its alright, at least she died having a fulfilled life…"

"…Still, her death plus the addition of Junior made things even more difficult for us in Dark Land. I had to take drastic measures in order to procure more of a profit for the kids, and I also needed someone who could take care of everyone since I lacked the maternal instincts of a mother. I then remembered the girl I had a slight, foolish young crush on when I was almost a baby. The then current Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach. I was a desperate man at the time, and resorted to magic and my forces to kidnap the Princess for the first time. Of course, you know how that all went."

"So you see, my plan was to not only get a mother for the Koopaling's and Junior, but to also gain ownership over the seven lands around the Mushroom Kingdom via marriage. The second one became possible accidentally via Count Bleck's whole marriage plot, since afterwards Peach wanted to get a divorce, and I made a diplomatic arrangement to her to break the marriage in return for my kids being allowed to share rule over her seven lands. The deal passed, and all of them moved in where they've stayed for quite a while now. Junior still stays with me, and we kind of do the whole 'Kidnap Princess' thing for fun…Well, unless I go through one of my mood swings and end up deciding to…Create a new universe or want to prove myself superior to Mario in order to prove my love to Peach and end up eating the Fire Stone and nearly become a mad beast in the process…Yeah, I really regret that second one…"

Bowser, having then finished his tale, let out a melancholy sigh due to how difficult it was for him to talk about his past. I picked up on this cue, and with one hand held out I say to him "It was a nice tale, but why did you choose to tell me about it?" My tone was drenched with sympathy and a hint of confusion, to which Bowser responds to by lifting his head up and saying with honesty "You plan to live at Mario's house after this right? Well I just wanted you to know what was going on between me and Mario. So if I kidnap Peach from here on out, our conflict stays between the two of us and possibly Luigi, ok?"

"I'd respect that even without the tale, Bowser." I respond with a firm and honest tone of voice. "Its not my place to take care of Mario's problems. He is the hero of this world, and I should only help when things come along that are too strong for even him to handle." "Yeah, that Whiter kid you were cloned from did the same thing while he was around." Bowser responded. He then folds his arms in front of his chest and gets a serious grin on his face. "Also, since you saved my kids yet in return I saved your life and Mario's, there is only one favor I have to collect from you Elemental Overlord types." Obviously he was referring to an unknown arrangement between him and Alex, but I wanted to hear him out before saying anything in turn.

"Beat that alien into dust for me." I was rather surprised by what Bowser asked of me, though considering the circumstances I don't know why I was. After blinking a few times I nod my head and give the Koopa King and confident thumbs-up in front of my chest. "I'll just chalk it up as another thing I have to give my word on, Bowser." "Thank you very much. Now, I'm going to check up on my kids until they awake. Besides, I think a certain someone wants to talk to you now." Bowser then unfolds his arms and gentle points behind me.

I turn around and find to my great surprise Mario standing at the doorway in his regular clothes. I didn't know how long exactly he was there for, but the fact that Bowser so casually noted his presence meant he wasn't there for long. The Koopa King walks past me and over the plumber, standing still for a moment so they can turn and acknowledge each other with a light nod. There was no antagonism in either of their stares, nor was there an overlaying feeling of tension exuding from their bodies. You could tell that they were true rivals just from that simple action. After a couple of seconds, Bowser walks down the hallway to the right, his thunderous footsteps fading in a matter of seconds.

As Mario turns his head to watch him walk away, I move over to him and embarrassingly hold my arms behind my back as I sway my body back and forth in nervous anticipation for him to turn around. "What would he say upon seeing me?" I thought to myself. After all, it appeared he just got up, and I doubt he heard anything about the last few days. After a few more seconds after thinking that, the plumber turned towards me and immediately focused on my face. He didn't say a word, instead arching one eyebrow up as he scanned my entire body up and down. He then fixed his expression and said to me while waving one arm "So, you ready to go? We should probably get back to Toad Town as soon as possible."

I flinched in response, something that Mario doesn't notice after his casual remark that was devoid of any note of who I was due to how quickly he turned around and began to walk off. "Wait, what?" Were the two words I spat out in rapid succession before I chased after the plumber and walked in front of him as he went down the hallway, and I turned my body around and walked backwards to keep my eyes focused on his before saying "You aren't surprised to see me?" In a flabbergasted tone of voice. Mario kept walking, but looked up at me with a smile behind his bushy mustache and asked "Are you actually Alex's clone?"

"Umm…" I don't know what the point of that question was, so I just slyly slipped out a "Yes" in response to it and Mario quickly followed up on it by saying "Then no, I'm not really surprised." "B-But how can you not be?" Mario was really starting to confuse me, and as neared a corner and made a turn I chose to stand beside the plumber instead of obscuring his vision any further. Even with my honorable decision, Mario still looked my way and continued walking onward with confidence. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. He has traversed Bowser's many castles enough times to know how to get through them. "I guess you could call it a gut feeling. I always had a suspicion that Alex didn't go back to Earth once just to 'Reminisce for old times sake', especially when E. Gadd accidentally let slip the first four letters of the word 'cloned' when I asked him about where he had been."

"Still, I can imagine there is more to this story than you being a clone…How long was I unconscious for exactly?" From that inquiry, I determined that Mario had no clue about the fact that he was under the influence of the 'Midnight Channel', so I decided to be honest about the time "Five days is the roughest estimate I can give you." "I see…" The plumber folded his arms in front of his chest to ponder about that amount of time that has been lost, and when it was easy to see that he was unable to draw any conclusions from that information he turned his head towards me and asked "Since we got a few minutes until we reach the entrance, can you give me a basic rundown on everything that has happened since I fell unconscious?"

And that's what I did. I gave him an abridged explanation of everything from my appearance on Plit to my climatic battle with Mario and Giga Bowser in the core of the Ignitor Cave. By the time I finished, Mario began murmuring to himself quietly as we reached the monstrous, crimson front doors of the castle. They swung open on their own, revealing the surprisingly bright sun beating down on us from above. I guess it was just one of those rare days where Dark Land wasn't covered in clouds of smog and red skies. Either way, as we made our way to the castle walls, Mario reached into his overall pockets and pulled out a small feather, which gave him a cape upon making contact with his body.

"I guess you kept any spare suit power-ups after I defeated you." I commented, though as Mario puts one foot onto the wall he turns his head and says to me "Not likely. I had this feather with me before I went unconscious. Anyways, I'm glad you managed to come through and save all of us from that 'Midnight Channel' realm. You showed great courage and selflessness in doing so, Mew." "Hey, what can I say? I was inspired by one of the greatest examples of those two traits." I gestured towards the plumber, causing him to smile brightly and chuckle at my compliment. He didn't need to say anything about it after that, and instead changed subjects to say to me "So, shall we get a move on?"

Mario leaps into the air, and I follow close behind. We begin to fly away from Bowser's Castle, with the last thing I see of it being an overview of the entire, massive stone structure as I glance over my right shoulder. After all, I keep my arms held beside me and follow Mario through the air as he holds his arms out in front of his body. Our speed is near even, and we move at a brisk enough pace that we have plenty of time to talk and stare down at the abundant scenery below. This flight is made better knowing that everything is as pristine as it was before Mr. Reality came and did what he did.

We pass the border of Dark Land and make it into the plentiful grasslands, where Mario then turns his head slightly and acknowledges me by saying "So what do you plan to do next?" "Well, Mr. Reality is still out there somewhere, so I have to deal with him. After that, I was thinking, with your permission of course, to live with you, Luigi and Driad…" "Yeah, I'm perfectly fine with that. Admittedly, it might bring up some rather…Somber memories of when Alex was around at first, but it shouldn't be too hard to get used to after a few days. But what about your home back on Earth? What do you plan on doing with everything you own? Our house is pretty small after all, and from what I saw of your place there is no way we would be able to fit everything you own."

"Does Plit have storage houses?" I asked. "Umm…Not that I recall, unfortunately." So after that response from Mario I merely shrugged my shoulders and said to him "That's alright. My house is in a pretty reclusive part of the world anyways, so its not like anyone will buy it. So if need be, I'll just use the Professor's Stargadd to go back there and pick up anything I need if necessary." "That sounds like a good plan, actually." Mario said to compliment me for my quickly thought solution. "What about you Mario? What are you going to do upon getting back to Toad Town?" "I'm going to first stop by Peach's Castle, since its closer and all. Then I'll go see how Luigi is holding up."

"So I guess we will be parting ways temporarily pretty soon, since I plan to drop by E. Gadd's lab and ask him about the tablet, seeing as it might hold the key to our victory against Mr. Reality." "Sounds like a plan. When you are done, meet up with me back at my house, alright?" I nodded my head, and seeing as Toad Town lied just a few feet away and below us, Mario cut his flight off and went to the right towards the castle, while I kept going forward and dived downward to the area where E. Gadd's lab was. I landed on the ground nice and gently, and the Toads only took notice of my landing for a few seconds before continuing on their normal business.

"Man, it feels like it has been a really long time since I was in Toad Town." I said, sniffing in the fresh, atmospheric air and letting out a joyous breath before the memories of my brief time here flow through my like a river. And after that has settled, I turn towards the lab and think to myself "Not only was this where Alex's first adventure on Plit began and ended, this will also be the place where my journey did begin and hopefully shall end." With a confident stance, I made my way down the staircase, descending into E. Gadd's lab in hopes of finding a solution to combating Mr. Reality's powers.

Sure enough, I heard the sounds of the Professor tampering around with something in his lab, his feet scuffling around the room like a rampant rat until I reach the bottom of the steps, at which point he stops running around instantly and turns to me, his forehead sweating wildly as he tries to catch his breath and give out an exhausted greeting "H-Hello Mew…Welcome back to my lab, how are you doing today?" "Umm…Rather well Professor." I said as I nervously scanned the room. Things appeared to be in disarray since the last time I had come here at the beginning of this journey, as if someone intruded upon this area.

"Is everything ok in here?" I asked as I walked over to him. He nudged his glasses upward and let out his signature laugh to cover his embarrassment of the condition of his lab. "Ok, who am I kidding…This place became a wreck since the last time I was here. Pieces have been scattered about, my tables have been broken at the legs, and the experimental blueprints for a portable Stargadd gun have been stolen." "…Stargadd Gun?" I asked. "Yes." He nodded and turned to me. "I wanted to have a more convenient way for people to travel across different planets instead of having to come here every time, but even going past the prototype stages the gun only ended up sending people on a one way trip to whatever location I would wish to send them to."

"Any ideas of a perpetrator?" I asked as I folded my arms and began to think. "No. No one has really ever tried to steal my tech before, and I don't have cameras set up in here like Alpha does around the world…All I know is that not only were the blueprints stolen, but all the parts needed to assemble the device have been taken as well." "Hmm…Well, I'll make sure to keep an eye out for him, but it doesn't sound like a particularly major concern right now if it is only a one way device. After all, you know what I came here to check, right?" E. Gadd, after flustering about the room for a few seconds, suddenly stops and turns back towards me, regaining his composure and nudging his glasses before saying to me "Oh yes, yes…Right this way, please."

The Professor reaches into his pocket protector and pulls out the hyper dimensional cube from earlier, placing it on top of the only stable table in the room and pressing a few buttons to summon a fully completed stone tablet that is suspended by pure blue light.. "I tried a few more types of language that I knew Alpha wouldn't have had access to since the records are one of a kind, but I was still unable to get a translation for the second part of this. What do you see when you look at it?" After explaining what he did with the tablet, E. Gadd moves out of the way, and after leaning my hand against my chin I walk towards the tablet and glare into it, thinking deep and hard about the translation behind the text.

As I stare at it for an extended period of time, my focus causes the text to illuminate with a pale-ish white glow, which stretches out and imprints itself onto my forehead. I then feel myself going into a strange trance as the light connects to my brain and forces me to say the translated words in a deep, echoing tone of voice with light flowing out of my eyes. _"In secret it lies, out of sight. A temple forged, the torment is purged by light. If the light is broken away, the torment shall release. From then it will only be a matter of time until existence itself shall cease…" _The light then fades out in full, my body limbering backwards as I push my left hand against my forehead and begin to feel dizzy.

E. Gadd, having heard everything I said while I was possessed, rushed over to my side and kept me propped up with both of his hands. "Mew, you ok?" But instead of giving him and answer, I thought about the message, a couple other moments from the past swirling amidst those thoughts to remind me of what Mr. Reality had said before. _"That is something for you to discover if you continue to survive…" _Was what he said when I questioned if there wasn't a single one of the Overlord's temples he had yet to defile. And then there was the recent message of his that revealed his plans to use one of the Overlord's…

"Oh god…" I widened my eyes in abject fear as I straightened myself up and a cold sweat began to drip down my forehead. I clipped my fingernails against the bottom of my teeth, pacing back and forth as the Professor asked me. "Mew, what's going on?" In a tone of concern unbefitting of his usual nature. I turned myself around forcibly, widening my eyes and saying to him in an unhinged tone of voice. "E. Gadd, we have to warn the others! This is insane…I think that crazy alien is going to attack us with-" I was unable to finish, for a gravitating tremor followed by the panicked cries of the populace outside forced me to break away from the Professor and rush outside of the laboratory at a speed I never knew I could manage.

As tremors shake the ground and break apart fragments of the buildings around the area, Toads scatter about left and right and a major shadow is cast across the ground. I force my head upward, staring into the massive structure that has obscured the sun and is slowly making its way towards Toad Town. It was a gigantic, super advanced yet completely diamond and pure white temple, one that looked better suited to stand in the vibrant plains of Heaven instead of the rocky mass that it was standing atop of. From a basic appearance alone, the mass appeared to have been pulled out from the underside of an island, the consequences of that observation not sitting well in my gut as I continued to stare blankly at the citadel itself.

In a matter of seconds though, I see a small figure floating above the top floor of the citadel, recognizing it as Mr. Reality as he stretches his hands out wide and says in an echoing voice that reaches all the ears below "Citizens of Toad Town! A certain inhabitant of your populace has defiled the rules of my game, and for that I have chosen to rain judgment on you until he willingly submits to me! For you see, only when he is broken beyond all physical and mental limitations, will you all have my permission to live. Until then…"

The being snaps his fingers, silencing the whole world around him as the light from the citadel is purged by a monochrome shroud and brought to the front of the rocky mass. As the alien sinks into the citadel itself, the light is fired out in the form of a massive quasar-like pulse, speeding across the air in an overwhelming second until it collides with the one place unfortunate enough to be in its path…Peach's Castle. I heard no explosion as the crushing disbelief of the moment deafened my ears and the light from the impact flushed through the air and nearly blinded me. I saw nothing of Peach's Castle when both of these feelings subsided, and what I heard only served to fuel my rage against the being who spoke to us all who remained. "Consider the destruction of their leader and her castle to be a warning to you, Overlord…"

_Next Time: Penetrate the Citade_


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35: When The Line Has Been Crossed**

Everyone was screaming, running for their lives as I tried to push myself through the thickened crowd. I was trying to make my way to the site of the light bomb's impact, praying deep down that some people managed to survive the destruction of Peach's Castle. "Oh god…Please Mario, please have reacted in time…You must have gotten most of them out…Mario…Hold on please…" I kept my concerned thoughts to myself, but at the same time I thought back to just a few minutes when the aftermath of the impact began. I was frozen stiff in place in front of E. Gadd's lab, the smoke from the center of the blast zone providing a grim message of things to come. The Professor had joined me at my side not long afterwards, and as he looked into the horizon he only had one thing to say.

"They couldn't be dead…Mario has survived through worse…I…I know he has…" E. Gadd had little hope in Mario's survival at the time, and that only strove to push me into action, breaking through my fear struck expression and charging forward without any further regard for my own life. E. Gadd gave me a warning out of concern, but it was only as loud as a gentle breeze and barely touched my eardrums….Eventually, after shuffling through many Toads I made it to the statue of Alex, taking a brief pause and glaring at it furiously as I said quietly to myself "Where the hell are you, I know that you can't ignore something of THIS magnitude…"

But alas, I knew I would never see my original amidst this chaos, for his selfish agenda had consumed him completely. I just kept running, moving through the blue metal gates that had been left slightly ajar by the prior explosion, and upon breeching the walls I stopped in place and saw a horrible sight beyond the broken bridge and debris covered river. All that was left of the castle was a ring of bright-red fire, and the top tower where the mosaic painting of the Princess has been shattered with glass spread across the ground. Through this ring though I see two figures, their bodies resting near the ground so closely that is impossible to tell who they both are from this far away.

With my heart pounding rapidly and as hard as a rhythmic drummer, I ran forward, leaping over the river and forgoing my flight in favor of jumping on top of the fallen pillar and running until I'm near the edge of the ring of fire, leaping into the scorched landscape as the structure crumbles and pounds the ground with rocky debris only a few seconds later. I land on the ground, rolling forward after tripping and suffering no damage from the scalding floor due to the return of my fire powers and proceeding to force myself up and look out towards the center of the impact zone, where I find to my great relief that it is Mario and Peach who are kneeling down against the ground, the plumber's arms wrapped around the Princess' body to keep her protected while he himself has been put in his Star Spirits empowered form.

I could hear Peach sobbing loudly in Mario's chest, the plumber himself trying his hardest not to cry as he comforts her. I rush over to them, my footsteps alerting Mario of my presence but causing him to welcome me not with a sigh of relief but with a right arm thrust my way with a fireball ready to be launched. It takes a moment of pause for him to recognize me and dispel the flames, and he says in a somber tone "Mew…What…What's going on here? What is that alien doing?!" He was furious and tearful in his inquiry, and while I knew the answer to his question I didn't want to tell him that this was indirectly my fault because I had no clue as to what I even did to break the rules of Mr. Reality's game.

So after kneeling down and staring for a moment at Peach's battered and bruised clothing and skin, I turned to Mario and said to him "He has gone insane, that's what is happening Mario! But that's not important right now…What happened to you two? And where is everyone else?" Peach couldn't answer me, for her mind and body were too distracted weeping, so Mario turned towards me with his eyebrows slanted, already giving a grim omen in regards to the second question. "I…After that alien began talking, a chill crept down my spine, and I feared that something bad was about to happen…So I changed into my Star Spirit form and yelled out for everyone to evacuate, but then the flash of light came and…And I grabbed Peach and protected her with all of my might…And everyone else…All the Toads, Toadsworth…They…They all…"

Mario couldn't bring himself to say the last words, but the implications were clear enough. All those innocents Toads, Peach's most loyal retainer and possible father figure…They all perished in the explosion brought on by Mr. Reality misguided attack…All because I apparently "cheated" at his game…No. I wasn't about to stand there and riddle myself with guilt. This wasn't my fault in the slightest. That alien came to this world, made many innocents endure the changes brought on by his sick little game, and now he thinks he can just get away with mass murder based on a flimsy justification?! "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" I declared angrily with a firm grip of my fists, with Mario and Peach looking towards me with a gaze that showed little understanding for what lead to this outburst of mine.

I took a few calm steps forward, swinging my firmed fists back and forth like a man on the hunt, my eyes burning his a furious intensity as I stared up at the floating citadel. With each step, the fire crackled five times, and from the intensity of those flames I swung my right fingers out and called forth my sword. I didn't even wait for the thing to materialize fully. The moment the red trigger was in range, I pulled it without saying the phrase. The transformation, the process of me being wrapped in flames and their dispersal, takes three seconds. I am now fifteen feet away from Mario and Peach, as an approximation. With my samurai armor clad in glowing crimson, I plant my diamond-encrusted katana into the ground in front of me, a miniature ring of fire spreading around my body as I fold my hands in front of my chest and shift them around in various directions and forms, creating multiple hand signs while slowly chanting something.

Shockwaves of fire reverberate from the soles of my shoes, spanning multiple feet of land and just nearly grazing around the sides of Mario and Peach's bodies as they make their way to the edge of the bigger ring of fire. Eventually, the fire spread across the ground pulsates brightly, and the blade of my sword becomes bathed in a crimson spread of fire. I finish the final hand sign and with my mental prowess I pull the sword from the ground, having it rise high above my head where it proceeds to spin around multiple times, creating a suction force that drags in all the flames in the area as it moves towards the center of the ring.

Eventually swirling into an upside-down funnel with a pointed top, the fires rise high above the area, encapsulating all three of us in a protective field of energy as my swords pushes through the tip and causes the flames to burst into a massive, phoenix-like shape that is much larger than the entire citadel in scale. The pressure from the energy I'm using in this attack pushes downward from the eye of the spiral that connects the being to the roof of the ring, but I bear against it and keep focused on my target even if it was obscured by the flames. "This attack is fueled by the vengeance of all those you have merciful slain here today, reality bender! As it comes down upon you, I hope the agony you are forced to endure is tenfold that experienced by those you have tormented. Now take this! Millennium Nova Phoenix!"

With its wings spread out wide, the flaming bird dives down upon its prey, engulfing the citadel and the rocky isle below it in one fell swoop. The only way I was able to know of this was because of my mental connection to the flames, which persisted until the bird died all the way out, its duty now completed as it ends things off with a widespread, cataclysmic explosion. The wind from it blows away the ring of fire and sends my sword back into the grasp of my awaiting right hand. With the smoke from the detonation still present I waited in anticipation for it to clear so I could enjoy the nothingness that would now be there. But something felt odd about this scenario, especially since no debris was falling onto the ground.

"Don't tell me…" I groaned in an annoyed tone of voice prematurely, since these type of omens never end well when it happens to either side. The silence surely wasn't helping matters, I had to admit. As the smoke dissipated, the citadel still floated precariously in the air, undamaged as the gleam of a prismatic barrier shown around the structure. My attack, for all the setting up I had to do for it, did nothing more than show me the existence of this obstructive force. Needless to say, I was both shocked and pissed off at the same time, that mixture of emotions proving volatile to my safety as I leaped into the air in a burst of fury with my eyes obscured by the shadow of my hair and my katana swung behind my back with the handle in the grasp of both hands.

I went to the center of the barrier and swung my sword hard against it, my attack being nullified and my body being forced to skid back across the air in recoil. I don't give up though, and after bracing myself mid-flight I charge again and swing, repeating the process over and over again in the same spot rapidly until the thirtieth attempt, at which point I fall back and begin to pant slowly with a cold sweat trickling down my face. "Damn it…A barrier made entirely out of prismatic light…Figures that something like this would be up…Or that reality bender made it just to fit with the theme of the temple itself."

No matter what was the reasoning behind its existence, the barrier was durable, and it was going to take a lot more than what I had to even put a dent into it. "Come on Mew, you can do this, just stay focused…" I thought to myself, taking a deep breath in to pull myself together before flying back a few feet and taking a nice long look at the barrier. "You know, its times like this I really wish I had darkness powers…That would probably help me break through the light." As I murmured to myself, a large, holographic screen appeared on the entire front side of the barrier. Mr. Reality stares down at me through it, his expression looking bored as he sits down on a glowing throne and taps his fingers against his glass dome.

"What do you think you are doing?" He asked, mocking my attempts at breaking through the barrier in a dull tone of voice. I snarled at his presence, but instead of acknowledge my rather justified yet ill-tempered behavior he says to me "You do know that you aren't going to get through via sheer aggression, right? The only way you shall pierce this barrier is by being submissive and surrendering yourself to me peacefully." "Yeah, well dealing with things peacefully isn't exactly an option after you just wiped out an entire castle and nearly everyone that lived in it!" I yelled out to him in bitter rage, to which the alien responds to by moving his hands away from his helmet and resting it against the arm of the throne with his only brow raised in curiosity.

"Why do you see me as the villain here? Last I checked, YOU were the one who cheated in my game, and you saw what happened firsthand the last time you cheated, only this time around I have definitive proof that you broke the rules willing and that this was not an error on my part. So for every life I take…Well, that's simply blood on YOUR hands, not mine. But its not like I am being unreasonable here child, all you have to do to cleanse that blood is willingly offer yourself to me, and accept my punishment for your felony. I truly believe that my solution would prevent further bloodshed, but in the end the decision is only yours to make."

I believed him as far as the last few words went, in that he would not use his powers to force me to make a choice, but as for everything else…Well, I needed to take a moment to think about all of that. He claimed I had willingly broken the rules, but the fact that I was still confused about this whole "rule breaking" thing in the first place disproved that, not like the alien would listen if I tried to use that as a counter-argument. But he is right about one thing, even with this uncertainty regarding the rule breaking and all, the fact that I was the true target of the reality bender's ire meant that any collateral damage is partially blood on my hands along with his own, especially if I kept things up the way they were going now.

I am then reminded of what the Reaper said, "_By allowing this interloper to live, you have doomed many lives…And I will assure you that I shall take great pleasure in reaping each and every one of them, knowing full well that each one is a mark of failure on your own, ripe, neck…"_ In other words, he knew that something like this was going to happen, which in turn meant that allowing Alex to live was the catalyst that started off this chain of events. But…How? How did allowing Alex to live cause Mr. Reality to assume that I willingly broke the rules? He said that I broke the rules to clear the final temple, which means that it was something I did while fighting Mario and Bowser.

Come to think about it, I still don't have an explanation as to how I was able to change forms when in most other temples I was restricted to the form I had regained in the one prior to the one I was in. In hindsight, it wouldn't have been wrong to assume that the reality bender was giving me a fair chance in combat against the two of them, especially since Mario had access to all of his suits, but considering the accusations now I knew that my theory would be wrong. So what did changed between the Frozen Palace and the Ignitor Cave? …It was then that it dawned on me. I glanced towards my right hip, where in the pockets of my long pants the Time Stone laid still.

"So that must be it…" I whispered to myself as many thoughts swirled through my head simultaneously. The only major difference was that I had acquired the Time Stone after Alex departed. It then got me thinking about what I had heard many times before. Alex wasn't affected by Mr. Reality's powers despite the fact that he logically should have been, hence why the Reaper had to be sent to eliminate him, and up until just recently he was in possession of the Time Stone. So could that mean that the Time Stone's powers are stronger than that of the reality bender's, and in turn the relic unknowingly provided Alex with a barrier that stopped all of the alien's attempts to affect him? If that's the case, then that means that the same rules likely applied to me, hence why I was freed of the restriction of using only one form in the Ignitor Cave.

But now the question remained…Did Mr. Reality know about this or not? There was no way of knowing, and I was not about to reveal the relic's existence to him on the off chance he didn't, because perhaps the Time Stone was the ace in the hole I needed to finally beat him once and for all. So with another glance back over at the view screen, I said to the alien without any regrets or second thoughts "I refuse to submit to you." His response is not one of defiance of my wishes, but rather he leans his body forward slightly and says to me calmly "And why is that? On what faith do you believe you stand a chance against me?"

I stayed silent, because if I opened my mouth for even a second there was always a chance I would accidentally let slip the truth about the Time Stone. With a firm glance, the alien notes my silence and continues speaking on his own. "Let me tell you something…Do you not understand what I can do? Everything is my domain, from the matter that composes your body to the very phenomena that govern the cosmos. I have full reign over it all, which makes your defiance of my rules all the more perplexing…Either way, this is what I wish for you to understand…There is nothing you can do to stop me through physical means, for I will heal all wounds. You can't seal me away, for I can just break free. And you can't obliterate me in one blow for I will just stop you before it even hits. I control it all, and all is under my will. Again, I ask of you…For what reason do you believe that you stand a chance against me?"

"…You want to know why I have confidence in my belief that I will best you? Because I have something worth fighting for. Let me sum things up from the beginning for you…Through this journey, I've seen the fallout from a betrayal of trust, I've seen what happens to a hero when they lose sight of their goals, and I myself experienced the pain of not knowing just what one's purpose in life is. But throughout all that I also realized something else…I'm not just carrying the burden of my own life on both of my shoulders, but everyone else's lives as well. And you don't have to be burdened just by lives, but by promises as well. And let me tell you, I have plenty of promises I have to see through to the end, and the only way I can be responsible about those promises is if I defeat you thoroughly. This is why I have to be confident, even if the situations I face are declared to be impossible to conquer…Because if I fail, I don't just fail myself, but many others as well!"

"….Hahahahaha!" After my confident declaration, the alien stayed silent for a few seconds, bursting into rambunctious laughter as he swung his head back and forth, unable to contain himself as he continued on for what seems to be forever. He then lifts his head up and stares at me with a grin on his face before telling me. "So you have confidence…I will admit that I'm glad to see that you aren't just being a fool, but there is yet another truth you have chosen to ignore. For all those burdens you carry, you are but one man facing an insurmountable obstacle, and beyond it lies a being who cannot be bested by even an entire galaxy full of beings. The odds do not bode well for you, child."

"Then perhaps we can help even them up a bit!" A voice yells out from afar, the echoes of their sound and the roar of engines causing me to turn around while the reality bender looks up to see what is going on. Riding through the sky is a massive battleship whose deck length rivals that of the citadel, its glass dome housing a command center while the bulk of the ship is covered in massive laser cannons. Surrounding the battleship are a high amount of Doomships, each one piloted by different members of Bowser's army. Finally, the rest of the heroes save for Mario and Alpha were flying close to the front of the deck in their Star Spirit empowered forms.

"Guys…" I murmured, surprised and yet deeply overwhelmed by everyone's appearance, but before I could call out to them Mr. Reality got the first word in. "This isn't your fight, esteemed Commander…" The Commander, who likely was standing in the central command dome, spoke calmly through the intercom to rebuttal the alien's comment. "So let me get this straight…After you came here without any permission, spread that 'Midnight Channel' across the realm, forced us to fight the Elemental Overlord, made him take part in your twisted game, and blow up Peach's Castle along with a plethora of her loyal subjects…You seriously have the gall to claim that this is none of our business? Sorry, you pissed off an entire planet full of battle ready people, and some of us have even thrown aside our past differences to work together and help the Elemental Overlord take you down for good!"

"And just how do you plan to do that?" Mr. Reality responds with a slight bit of amusement in his voice, unknowingly sealing his fate. For if there was one thing I was certain about, reality bender or not, if there is one thing you shouldn't do, is to take Alpha lightly. "Heh, why don't I show you? Captain Florence, you have my orders…Fire it up!" The Commander gives a command to his Yoshi subordinate, as I can only imagine the casual wave of the Goomba's hand and the nod the Yoshi gave in response. After a few seconds of silence a loud siren fills the skies, followed by a panel opening up on the deck of the gigantic battleship.

A medium-sized silver device slowly pulls itself out of the hole made and the sirens begin to die down. With a rounded barrel that has a five antennae sticking out of the front of it in a star-like pattern, the rings connected to it start to glow various colors, a signal to the Commander that the device is powering-up. "FIRE!" Alpha yells out, the sound of a button being pounded down inside the ship as the device positions itself so the shot will be fired directly below me. The tip of the center antenna starts losing its color until it has become entirely pitch black, the rings following suit as sparks start breaking out through the cracks in the barrel.

I could feel the pressure exuding from the tip as the blast charges up to its fullest level of power, and a demonic looking bullet thrusts out at a speed exceeding that of light itself, giving me not even a second to turn around as it impacts the front of the body and shatters outward, creating a distorted, widespread black and violet gap that tears apart the light in the barrier with relative ease. But the collision of forces both light and dark causes both parts to begin to overtake one another, cancelling each other out bit by bit and leaving only a clear gap through the barrier for me to enter through.

However, before the darkness has run its course, a series of glowing yellow eyes make their appearance known on the surface. In a matter of seconds, hundreds upon hundreds of shadowy creatures both big and small swarm out of the collapsing portal, making their way into the mortal world and flying abundantly around the area in hopes of causing mayhem. I recognized the creatures as the Heartless, a species spawn from the Realm of Darkness whose sole purpose is the consume the hearts of living beings. Needless to say, the connection between the portal and Alpha was something I'd have to question later, but for now the most important thing was to combat these creatures before they got too out of control. As I gripped my blade in hand, a tense chill crept up my spine as a Heartless snuck up behind me, only inches away from consuming my body in its blackened grasp.

As I turned around ready to best the creature in hopefully a single stroke, I'm saved entirely out of the blue thanks to an uppercut by Mario, who is still the yellow and silver garb of the Star Spirits. The creature is instantly destroyed in a glorious of dark fog, and Mario stops in place with his body in a battle position while the Heartless continue to fly around only to be dealt with by the rest of the Star Spirit empowered heroes. I watch in awe as they take them down one at a time without breaking their stride, and thought I could truly have continued watching this spectacle for a while, Mario quickly swung his arm out to the side and grabbed my attention with his voice.

"I got Peach to a safer location…Now, I don't know what Alpha was thinking in using his dimensional portal like that, but what I do know is that he provided you with an opening through the barrier and you don't have much time before its sealed up!" He was right too. The hole in the barrier was closing up, and I only had fifteen seconds before it would be too small for my body to fit through. So with a quick, thankful nod of the head as I passed by Mario, I flew towards the hole at great speeds, swerving past all the Heartless as they flung themselves at the heroes in hopes of nabbing their hearts.

I make it in at just the last second, of course, and with the hole sealed behind me all that remained as far as my infiltration of the citadel went was for me to enter the tunnel in the rock formation in front of me. But before I did so, I turned around and looked at the M.S.I. battleship as it withdrew its smoldering dimensional ripping weapon and floated perfectly in the air despite the chaos around it. Mr. Reality calls out to the Commander, telling him, "Very well…You want to make this more trouble than its worth? Then I shall at least give you the honor of a more fair fight…For you see, this citadel of the Elemental Overlord's is not just a temple that holds the power of light itself, but it is also a technologically advanced fortress that was once used in many wars to combat the forces of darkness!"

With a snap of the fingers and a disappearance of the view screen following his bold declaration, the sky is suddenly filled with a hundred laser beams coming from both fortresses, and the crimson ones being fired from the M.S.I. Battleship pounds against the front of the citadel, threatening my safety unless I was to get out of there immediately. After a few more seconds of observation I saw the Doomships firing at the Citadel as well, only their ships aren't durable enough to survive more than one shot from the silver beams of light before they incinerate and fall to the ground. All the while the heroes keep fighting against all the Heartless, making certain that none of them break through a specified perimeter to harm the citizens of the planet…"Good luck guys, I'll make sure to finish the reality bender off before any of you have to sacrifice your lives for me…" With that solemn message, I turn around and rush towards the tunnel, preparing both mind and body to combat the alien responsible for all of this planet's recent troubles…

_Next Time: The Machine Man and the Jester_


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36: The Unknown Enemies**

After a few seconds of flight, I land on the lip of the tunnel entrance, the explosions quieting down behind me only to be replaced with the constant sound lasers shooting from the citadel above. As I get out of my Fire form I looked up at the rough rocky ceiling as it quakes from the lasers from Alpha's battleship striking the citadel. I flinch from a bit of dirt falling down against my face, though it is blown away with a simple breath, leaving me mouth open to point out to myself "I really need to get moving before things get too out of hand." After all, the worst thing that could happen would be for the tunnel to collapse on top of me, considering all the rock that was in the area that would seriously impede my progress.

As I kept moving forward through the tunnel, I turned my head over my shoulder and noticed a door of prismatic light flashing across to seal me in. It symbolized the fact that this was truly the point of no return not just for me, but for the reality bender was well. Only one of us was going to leave this citadel alive, and for the sake of everyone else fighting the good fight out there, it was sure as hell not going to be him. As I clenched my right hand tightly around the handle of my sword, my concentration was suddenly interrupted by an electronic whir and a crackling voice echoing inside of my eardrum.

"_Bzzt…Mew…Bzzzttt…Can yo…he…r…Can you hear me?" _After establishing a full connection, I recognize the voice as that of Alpha's, who is talking to me even as lasers bombard his ship in the background. My first thought was spoken quickly "Yeah I can hear you, but how are you speaking to me?" I looked around for a miniature device that may have been buzzing about, but as if knowing what I was doing the Commander responds _"Don't bother looking kid, the device is resting in the cusp of your right ear at this very moment. Its microscopic, but powerful enough to transmit everything I need to say. I sent it to follow you before the prismatic barrier was broken through."_

Admittedly, I was a bit annoyed by Alpha slipping that device on my skin without asking me first, I knew that considering the circumstances he really wouldn't have had a moment to say anything. "Well, while I appreciate you not injecting the device into my bloodstream, don't you think this device is rather pointless considering how things are going currently?" _"Not really, because quite honestly Mew, while I have we all have a lot of faith in you right now, on the off-chance you do fail there was something I was wanting to say to you before that happens…" _"Its about the whole influx of Heartless that came through the gap you created, isn't it?"

The fact that Alpha stayed silent for a few moments after that inquiry meant that I had was correct in my assumption, and after a fizzled out sigh the Commander spoke to me as I folded my arms and patiently decided to hear him out. _"Yeah, personally I was hoping to never have to use that device again after Cackletta's death, and considering the range of which I fired it from it was impossible to put up the restriction barrier…But you understand why I did it, right?" _"Of course I do." I respond without any bitterness in my voice. "The situation really left you no other choice but to go to that extreme."

"_That's true. It was a good thing that the higher-ups apparently lifted the Star Spirits ban on their ability to interfere with the planet's affairs, because without Geno's assistance I don't think we'd have enough star empowered heroes to prevent some of the Heartless from escaping." _"Wait, the higher-ups lifted the ban?" I must admit, that revelation not only took me by surprise, but also brought a layer of concern upon my confident demeanor. _"Yeah, that's what I thought too…Its rather foreboding if those higher-ups are getting involved in things before the aftermath." _"So, you think something big might happen here today?"

"_Something big already has happened Mew, and only you can prevent it from getting worse now." _At the end of Alpha's response I heard a major crash followed by a blaring siren in the background, and the sound becomes distorted as Alpha yells out to his men _"Activate the frontal shields! Pour all power into the auxiliary drives and return fire! …Sorry Mew, I have to stay focused on the battle now…So all I have left to say is, good luck…From all of us to you." _ The signal flatlines, leaving me truly alone once more as I unfold my arms and look on ahead at the tunnel with only two thoughts on my mind. One was about the upcoming battle with Mr. Reality, and the other expressed concern over the safety of my friends as they fought bravely out there in the skies above Toad Town.

"…And yet, why do I now feel as though none of us are going to make it through alive…Including myself?" As I questioned that very thought, a slight, temporal-like distortion swept through my body, the origin of that disruption coming from the very end of the tunnel. It was only because of the Time Stone, I felt, that I was able to sense such an anomaly. The ripples continued to happen for a few seconds, increasing in speed along the walls, floor and ceiling until it suddenly breaks off without explanation, leaving me with no other option but to keep moving up the incline until I find an answer to this conundrum.

As I pressed onward, I still kept my sword in hand, since I had this itching feeling that I'd be fighting more than just the reality bender in this temple here today. Considering how much effort the Elemental Overlord put into making sure the outer perimeter never got breeched, I figured that there was likely not much inside that could pose a challenge to intruders. Therefore, Mr. Reality would send enemies my way to wear me down before I reached him. Thus, preservation of energy would be the key to making it through every battle alive. As I thought about the inevitable battles I would face, I decided to try and make a connection between that line of thinking and the distortions I felt just a moment ago.

"They have to be related…" I murmured to myself as I slanted my eyebrows and peered up ahead. I paused, noting in my head that the tremors have stopped now that I had gotten this far into the underside of the citadel. What lied ahead was the beginning of a pristine walkway that lead into the citadel itself, its edges rimmed with a cybernetic, bluish tint. Above the incline and only an inch below the floor above was a foggy, light-blue portal that I knew would not lead me to the temple itself. Though I raised my right eyebrow in suspicion, I moved towards the portal, albeit cautiously. Eventually the tip of my head touched it, which was more then enough for the light to be flushed from my vision and my body to be swept away into nothingness by a powerful vacuum much like when I entered the Ignitor Cave.

All I felt was my descent, and all I saw was some golden, glowing text that was placed against the back of my eyelids as an unfamiliar voice spoke to me. _"There were once three beings, each unique in what methods they derived their powers from, whether it be magic, science, or the unknown. At the same time though, they were all bound by their loyalty towards one man, the Dark King. And yet, while they were all loyal to him, the reasons for their loyalty were as different as night and day. One was loyal because he had nothing else in the universe to be connected to, another was loyal because the Dark King made him feel as though he could be more, and another pursued a loyalty above all others…A loyalty derived entirely from unrequited love towards him."_

"_Those three beings were considered to be the closest to the Dark King save for his second-in-command, and the way they were perceived in relation to the man gave birth to the group name the 'Apocalypse Royale'. Each of the four members of it were given a different title based on the four strongest cards in an entire deck, and they all embraced those titles for their eternal lives. But when the Dark King was sealed away, the three members of that infamous group went their separate ways at first, for though loyalty bonded them their reasons revealed their conflicted interests and made them disdain each other. The man who bore the title of Jack tried to redeem himself, using his talents to carve a peaceful future for the planet of Plit, only to be betrayed by them when the sins of his past came knocking on the front door. The one who was known as the Joker in both title and appearance cared not about what others wished to do to him, for his domain was one that could not be reached unless he wished for you to be there, and he lived his immortal life out in peace until a spark of influence from his long shrouded past bit his mind and made him worry slightly about the trouble his third comrade may have been causing. Thus, he chose to find her and keep an eye on her, not knowing just why he was going through all the trouble when it really wasn't worth his time…"_

"_The Queen, a witch of undeniably magical prowess, went through a mental breakdown after the rejection of her plea of love towards the man she deeply admired, and through that convulsion of emotions came a wicked mind that even the Dark King would have feared in his time. She threw away all morals in a pursuit of the creation of a new Dark King devoid of any emotions to weaken them, and clung to dark magic to keep her life going despite how much her appearance changed over the decades. Eventually, all three of them joined together, hoping to accomplish new goals through their alliance that they felt would be hard to manage on their own…But eventually, the time would come when they would leave this world forever, their plans foiled one after the other by the heroes of Plit…"_

When everything is finally done, the text fades in a golden dust, welcoming a glorious array of light into the world that I rapidly fall through. I end up in a strange, almost mechanical realm surrounded by floating gears, levers and other contraptions. The ground, and by extension the rest of the supposed realm around me is a dark grey sky with green, red and blue mists sprinkled into it to give it a rather eerie feel. While bent over with my hand keeping me up against the ground, I take a moment to take everything into consideration as I shift my head left and right, the process only broken by the clinking of metallic footsteps in ahead of me.

I lifted my head up, preparing my flaming sword in the grasp of my right hand as I take a look at the two beings that are before me. The one of the right I recognize quickly as Dimentio, whose appearance is that of a jester with a two-dimensional face, yellow crescent mouth, while his body colors are a mix of ivory, black and white. The second person wasn't familiar to me though, but I shall describe him anyways. He was a human about six feet in height, though instead of clothing the man was grafted with thin metal sheets all around his body save for the mouth and red eyes. In his right hand is a gigantic blade that was roughly eight feet in length, and the sleek coat on it was enough to tell me that one wrong move and my head would be cleanly cut from my shoulders.

I stood up straight and flipped my sword around in a circle, the flames releasing a quiet, crackling noise as the heat intensified around it. The man with a body covered in steel swings his sword through the air as he positions it beside him, while Dimentio wiggles his fingers around to let the magic flow through the tips. We stared each other down, and since my opponents were unwilling to comment on my appearance it was easy to see that they were likely under Mr. Reality's control. Besting them would prove to be my only way of continuing forward, but I had the feeling that these guys would be easier to handle than Mario and Giga Bowser.

As I do most of the time though, I wanted to let my opponents make the first move, especially since I was combating an unknown individual here. The man on the left attacked first, kicking his right foot against the ground and charging at me in a burst of speed that was only a bit slower than my own. He made his attack obvious, using the girth of his sword in a massive swing aimed at my neck, so I quickly pushed my sword to meet the attack at the end of the path, the cling of his blade against mine dispersing some of the flames surrounding it. As he holds his blade in position, the man takes the momentum that has been put against him and removes his feet from the ground.

He then spins around in the air with his hands held around the handle until he his body is upside-down in the air, at which point the leans his legs backwards a bit to push his weight forward so when he vaults off of his sword he goes forward instead of straight up. Though the loosening of his grip freed me of having to defend myself as his weapon falls to the ground, so I position by stretching my legs out and holding my sword high above my head ready to hit him when his descent puts him in range. But then a glimmer of light coming from below my vision catches me off-guard, and as I lower my head slightly I see a small, glowing and multi-pronged condensed projectile flying straight at me.

The creator was Dimentio, which meant that this take, no matter the size, was not one to be taken lightly. So for now I'd have to hold off on attacking the metal man, and leaping backwards to not only avoid his dropkick but to also cut the projectile with the tip of my sword the moment I land. The man's impact with the ground creates a huge ring of dust, which thankfully didn't reach me before the projectile was in range of my attacks. So while it was settling I puffed my cheeks to hold my breath and closed my eyelids tightly so not even a single speck could get through. It was rather unfortunate that it wasn't rocky dust, otherwise I would've been able to blow it away with a single gesture.

In the mean time, I had to use my ears to prepare against any other attacks, which would honestly only help against the man of metal, since Dimentio's attacks were aerial and silent. Also, with the ground not being made of any rock, mineral or other earth based material I had no way of sensing the vibrations in the ground. "Geez, it really feels like I spend more time explaining the many problems with my battles than I do coming up with solutions around them…" I thought to myself amidst everything else that was going on inside my head. Either way, the next move was made by the metal man, who pulled his sword from the ground with an audible clink.

But the next sound got me worried, since instead of the charge of his footsteps across the ground I instead heard what appeared to be the metal of the blade splitting apart down the middle. The whirring of gears forced me to creak my eyelids open just a bit so I could see what was going on. By this point the dust had settled, which made all of my earlier concerns pointless. However, what was concerning now was the obvious missile launchers tucked into the center of the blade. How he got those in there I would never find out, but as I raised my blade ready to attack the inevitable missiles I was quickly surrounded by a neon-orange box.

A light chuckle made my turn my head around to find Dimentio appearing from a two-dimensional split in the air. Though I was a bit unhinged by his sudden appearance, I pulled myself together and quickly went through the notions inside of my head in order to escape this box and not get hit by the missiles. In this enclosed space I had no way of swinging my sword around, so I need to use my elements to escape. The most obvious option to that problem would also conveniently solve the problem I would have to face afterwards, so with a raise of the left hand I put that plan into moment. With my fist covered in diamond and made unable to flex due to how solid it was, I thrust my it through the wall in front of me.

As if it were made of rice paper, I shattered a small portion of it, the cracks rippling across the rest of the surface until the entire wall collapses onto the ground. I then turn my hand back to normal as the pearly white missiles are launched from the man's sword. After taking one step forward I prepare to swing my sword out to cut each projectile down with precise strikes, hoping to finish quickly enough so that Dimentio couldn't take advantage of my situation. Though as far as the jester was concerned, he already had enough setup to ruin my day. With a snap of his fingers, an explosion goes off in what remained of the box behind me, and though the blast pushes my upper body forward an inch it does no real damage due to how unrestricted it was.

No, the actual damage came from what happened afterwards, since even the slight shift in my position was enough to throw of my ensuing sword swings. Sure, I was able to cut down most of them, but all it takes is for the last one to strike me straight in my unprotected gut mid-swing for my eyes to widen as the realization of failure mixes in with the ensuing explosion that knocks me far back through the air and into the front of a floating gear. The impact vibrates through my left arm, a slight crack being felt in my bones for but a few seconds until I regain consciousness and begin to pull myself from the gear.

The gravitational field keep the object suspended in the air was broken by my impact, but its descent had the pace of a snail. In the meanwhile, I made sure to tighten my grip around my sword, for the man was charging straight at me with his hands held as far behind his back as physically possible with his sword ready to be swung outright in a tall, vertical arch. With a quick shift of my body I avoided the attack, but the gear was cleanly cleaved in two so easily that it was like the man cut metal as a hobby. "Wait, metal cutting…The eyes and missiles…This couldn't be Smit-" In the middle of my surprising revelation, the machine king known as Smithy wastes no time in ditching the weight of his blade and letting it impale on the ground so he can perform a roundhouse kick that interrupts me with a powerful strike to the side of my chest and once again knocks me away.

This time the blow sends me spiraling around towards the ground, but even with a bit of my wind knocked out of me I recover quickly enough to break my movements and spin around so the act of my feet grinding against the ground slows me down before I run into a nearby piston sticking out of the ground. Of course there would be no moments to breathe as Dimentio surrounded me with a bunch of his multi-pronged projectiles, and with an echoing, otherworldly "Ciao!" the snap of fingers commands them all to explode to cage me in the ensuing blasts. But even though my body was covered in mystical energy from the explosions I leapt out, smoking streaking out from my somewhat damaged skin while Smithy greets me in mid-air with his sword ready to strike.

Having grown sick of playing defensively, I decided to go on the attack, my eyebrows arching to display my increased focus in the battle as I swung my sword out to block one attack from Smithy while mentally commanding vines to form from nowhere and lash out to whip hardly against the man's gut. To my surprise, the man didn't flinch in pain, meaning that the act of grafting those metal sheets on his body likely burned out his nerves. "How do you even live more than a day with that type of treatment?" Was something I asked myself as I gracefully arched my body and flew past another of Smithy's attacks, getting out of range for a brief moment and watching as the vines I summoned get cut down.

While the protoplasm from their fibers sprayed across the area and against Smithy's plates, I held my sword diagonally and switched the element surrounding it from fire to electricity, hoping that I could use a magnetic force to pull the metal plates off of his body and reach his more vulnerable body parts. It may have sounded cruel, but when you weigh that type of idea against Mr. Reality's act of reviving the machine king against his will it was easy to rationalize that I was doing the man a favor by trying to end things quickly. Sadly, as the pulse went out in the form of fizzling shockwaves, the sheets didn't even flinch, robbing that idea of any merit.

Still, with a quick redirecting of the target area I reversed the polarity of the sword's handle and Smithy's palm so the two forces would contradict each other and the sword would fly far out of the machine king's viable range. This actually garnered a reaction of shock from the man, and I capitalized on that by returning the flames to my blade and swing a wave of them out horizontally. Smithy is hit by it in the gut, the heat of the flames reaching through the metal sheets and burning the flesh underneath to slowly deal damage to him as he continues to be sent through the air until my attack wears out and he plants his feet against the side of a gigantic nail, a glowing red streak present wear the attack had hit him.

I was ready for the next attack with my sword held high behind my head and the flames swirling around like a tornado, but the jester I had briefly forgotten about has other plans and he promptly appears in front of my body to distract me from Smithy. This was likely done so the machine king would be able to reclaim his sword without my interference, for by the time Dimentio floated back a few feet Smithy was nowhere to be found on the nail far away from here. With my attack already at the ready though, I swung my sword outright in front of me, not even raising my eyebrows in suspicion as I do so and watch the tunnel of whirling flames burn continuously through Dimentio.

Though I hear a realistic scream of agonizing pain through the crackling and roar of my flames, "Dimentio", as I would so aptly come to call him, lifted his right hand up and taunted me with a gentle wave of the fingers before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Realizing I had been tricked so easily, I stopped my attack and turned around, thinking that the jester would be behind me with another attack at the ready, only to find Smithy having already leapt above me with his sword coming down like a mighty guillotine. In fact, with the velocity of the blade's descent it was like I could literally feel the sharpness approaching me a few seconds before it would cleave my head, which only served to increase the speed to which I reacted to the attack.

Something like this had to be handled in more than one step, so I first started things off by removing the flames from my blade and pounding down on the air in front of me, releasing a turbulent burst of wind that I had to brace against to keep myself from being flung away. This very wind rises up and blows against Smithy, slowing his descent with every passing second until the wind actually overwrites the velocity of his fall and brings him to a stop, though that only lasts for a few seconds since the act of stopping the wind takes long enough that the machine king is knocked up a few feet.

Next, I brought the flames back onto my sword and threw it outward like a boomerang, tossing it at such a great distance that Smithy had no chance of predicting how long it would take for it to return back to either me or him. I then chose to combine my powers for a change of pace, as I coated my hands in steel and surrounded them with electricity that was amplified just by being in proximity with this metal. I then flew up and engaged Smithy in close ranged combat, the first punch being thrust out at Smithy's face and immediately blocked by the dull edge of his blade. This was what I was hoping for though, and with a smirk on my face I sent all of the voltage I could through the light crack in the blade so the missile launchers and any other machinery underneath would short-circuit and explode. Unfortunately, as the smoke rising from the slit revealed, the metal coating of the blade itself was durable enough to survive an inner explosion.

With the sword's inner working completely destroyed, I proceeded to take advantage of Smithy's surprise by raising my body up while my left fist was still pressed against his blade and lightly swinging my right fist into the man's face. The burst of electricity was followed up by a few shorter ones as I moved my left hand underneath the sword and swatted it out of range, following up with a flurry of punches that knocks the man further up into the air with each blow until the final uppercut into the jaw knocks hits him hard and sends him up much higher than the prior blows. This also has the benefit of putting him in range of my returning boomerang, but while I was confidently smiling over my supposed victory Dimentio once again saved his partner by appearing behind him and snapping his fingers to create a box around my weapon to contain it and stop its flight once it collides with the front wall.

He then lets my weapon go, seeing as he can't destroy it through conventional means like his usual brand of explosions. I wait for the weapon to fall into the grasp of my awaiting right hand, holding it behind me as my expression sinks into one of annoyance towards the jester for all the times he has been messing up my plans. "Guess Dimentio hasn't been known to be predictable though…" I pointed out to make myself feel a bit better. However, the time for that wasn't now, seeing as Smithy had recovered from my other bros, and after turning his head and begrudgingly nodding at his companion as thanks they both looked down upon me and prepared to strike together.

The jester started things off by waving his hands above his head, creating a flurry of projectiles from the single fingertip that rain down from the sky to make my movements constricted while the machine king charges down and engages me in swordplay, flinging his blade around in various directions to make his attacks less choreographed and thus harder for me to counter. With my hands still braced by metal I swung hard against Smithy's own attacks, keeping my grip intact for as long as I could manage to until the angle from which he swung his blade and obscuring of vision from the explosions of the projectiles around me forced me to call forth the other elements to protect me.

I summoned an incredible thick layer of ice around a small diamond pillar to stall Smithy's blade for four seconds while I bent my head back to get out of the way of his blade the moment it broke through, and then while he was dealing with the recoil of his attack I returned my left hand to normal and bent my fingers downward. Forcing a burst of air from my palm, I knocked Smithy away while swinging my sword upward to puncture through a projectile that I felt was approaching my body from above. It was then that I decided to escape the rain of projectiles Dimentio continued to send my way, and after spinning around and using the tip of my fingers to unleash a net of electricity to dispel most of them I charged through the smoke left behind by the explosion and made it out without any difficulty.

Of course, because of that Dimentio stopped his previous bombardment and went on to casually split himself in two, both bodies grazing through the air in different directions and preparing their hands to fire singular attacks that would both be focused towards me alone. "I guess he was worried about damaging Smithy…" I thought to myself as I glanced behind my shoulder and saw one projectile coming from above while another was fired from the left side of my body. I raised above them both obviously, and was once against greeted by the machine king, who instead of attempting to slice me in two rammed into me shoulder first while keeping his blade at the ready in the grasp of both hands below his waist.

He waits until he smashes my body against a floating gear before letting go, the recoil from my impact pushing him back a few feet but still giving him enough range to let off a powerful swing. I only had two seconds, but that was plenty of time to take my sword out horizontally and block the brunt of his attack. The gear wasn't so lucky though, as for whatever reason Smithy's attack cut the entire thing in half, the splitting object crashing to the ground rather quickly while my eyes are left widened in both shock and fear. During this period of inactivity though the jester hit me with two projectiles from afar, causing a rather seizure-like feeling to coarse through my body for a brief second as the damage takes hold.

When I've recovered from that with a shake of my head I saw Smithy moving his arms around in a circular motion near the right side of his body, preparing to come around for another slash as he spun his body around to follow through on his limbs movements. I block his attack by holding my sword horizontally once more, the tip pointed to the left as I grunt while pooling most of my strength into keeping Smithy from breaking my defense, a valiant effort that actually proves worthwhile as after a few seconds of holding him back I increase my own strength to its maximum level and push down against the blade hard enough to break his attack and force him to spin back around until his body is straight up.

Having now been stunned by my efforts, I flare up my aura and charge at him, swinging at his vulnerable body with all of my might and using the tip of my flaming sword to cut through the metal sheets and strike at the flesh underneath. After ten slashes that I made certain would result in the heat from my blade seeping through to the organs underneath the layers of flesh and deteriorated muscles, I end off my barrage and pull my sword back, and Smithy's eyes begin to leak blood through the ducts while his body sinks to the ground defeated. That just left Dimentio for me to deal with, and the jester quickly appears around me in a circle of clones.

Each one snaps their fingers, trapping me in a many boxes of the same size, though the angles of which they were positioned varied ever so slightly. With another snap of the fingers they intended to consume me in an array of explosions that would surely leave me weakened. I couldn't risk the damage though when I need to be in a prime condition for Mr. Reality, so after rationalizing that only the box created by the original would be able to resist what I was about to do. After holding the sword front and center in relation to my body I thrust it downward, poking the ground with the tip of the blade and unleashing a furious swarm of flaming slashes all throughout the vicinity of the boxes I was trapped in.

The slashes break through rather quickly, spreading out and hitting all the Dimentios around me, and in a surprise twist all of them were clones meant to wear me down. The real one, on the other hand, was floating high above in the air and preparing a massive projectile that would finish me off while I was dazed by the explosions from the many boxes. Seeing as the first part of his attack plan failed, Dimentio dispersed the bomb above his head and was about ready to snap his fingers to flip himself into a two-dimensional plane to reappear somewhere else, but I was about to have none of that.

With a flick of my left wrist I shot many vines out ala Spider-Man and made certain that they would quickly rise up and wrap themselves around Dimentio's body, preventing him from escaping and giving me a perfectly latching point to thrust myself upward. I disconnected the bottom of the vines from my wrists and with the momentum at the ready I held my sword at the ready and with one decisive swing I cut across the center of Dimentio's body through the vines. Thankfully, this Dimentio was the real deal, as evidence by the lack of vanishing as my attack finished going through his body. As a being of unknown origin, he did not spill any blood from his body as he fell to the ground beside Smithy.

I descended onto the ground at the center point between both beings, and as a light mist rises from their figures they both lift their heads up and say to me in a tone of weak yet genuine gratitude "Thank you for this…" And their bodies fade away into nothingness once more, and in time the realm itself begin to deteriorate into the darkness, leaving me both confused and blinded by this string of events as I feel my body descending against my will back towards the citadel. I had taken a bit of damage from that battle, but nothing I wouldn't recover from by the time I reached Mr. Reality. If anything, that battle was just a prelude of what was to come, and that I should expect anyone to be revived by the reality bender to be sent into combat against me…Even the Genesis Samurais…

_Next Time: The Boy Seeking Vengeance_


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37: The Unknown Antithesis**

I fell out of the portal I had entered through just a while ago. The prior battle went by much faster than I thought it did, and that was honestly a good thing considering what everyone is doing outside the citadel. I was now past the stone cavern and inside the citadel itself, which had been robbed of all its beauty by a monochrome effect eerily similar to that of the 'Midnight Channel'. "Oh great, am I going to have to deal with more Shadows in here too?" As I grumbled that comment through my lips without any mention of the two people I fought before, I looked up past the incline and saw a staircase that led to the next room. Truly, I had no way of navigating this place, and only had an assumption to go on as I moved forward.

That assumption being that Mr. Reality was on the top floor of this place, and only a steady climb through the many floors would allow me to reach my destination. Hopefully, the place's defenses are down, especially since the alien mentioned that this citadel is actually a massive battleship the original Overlord used in his crusade against the darkness. Either way, with my mind and body braced with caution I ascended the staircase, whose width was nearly three times that of my body if I stretched my arms out. Each step was three feet tall, which was rather steep all things considered, but I made my way up them with relative ease.

I looked at the walls, paying attentions to the cybernetic strips that were still pulsing with energy even though their colorful glow was now gone. "You know, I would have rather liked the pristine, pearly atmosphere, even if it would be a bit cliché'd in this temple. Especially after all this grey I've been dealing with throughout this adventure. It could be worse though…This place could be entirely black and there the cries of ghouls could fill the air, leaving no hope for weary travelers as they ascend the cavernous staircase into the gaping maw of despair, which would soon devour their breaking souls until the tears of agony become blood red with fear.

….Ok, I'll be honest, I have no idea where that all came from. It was rather grim dark for me of all people to be saying, even if there was some precedence for me bringing it up. "Come on Mew, focus, focus…" I took a deep breath in and paused on the halfway point of the stairs. Collecting my thoughts for a moment, I looked up to see the way to the next area just a few seconds away, and with my sword once again at the ready I continued climbing the stairs. "Something feels off though…" I said, my neck hairs tingling as I glanced behind me, the quiet echo of a footstep trailing from afar before it stops in tune with the brief pause in my walk.

"Hmm…" I slanted my eyebrows towards the stairs I've already ascended, and though I assumed that I would be able to detect a presence my effort proved futile in the end. "What is going on here…" A nervous sweat drop trickles down my face and pitters onto the ground, and the eerie chill refuses to leave my body. All I could hear is a laugh that crept into my eardrums and tickled them with an otherworldly feeling of ecstasy, and suddenly the air around me thickened with a dripping sensation of fear. _"Come closer…"_ The voice stated, and just like that my body turned around subconsciously and my head lifted up to look at the glowing rim of a blue portal that has suddenly appeared at the staircase's apex.

A small, shadowy figure pops up in front of the portal, their body surrounded by a hazy black mist and their eyes seething yellow as they take their right hand and wiggle their fingers in front of their chest. Whoever it was, it was plain to see that they were trying to lure me in, and their ethereal form slipped into the portal not a moment after I realized that. It was another one of Mr. Reality's pawns, and with their presence I had no choice but to take them down in order to continue. With a rather short dash up the remaining steps I leaped into the portal straight-on and sunk into the darkened descent beyond. Yet again, I was greeted by golden text, only this time a more gruff, deathly narrator spoke them to me…

"_In the prime of his life, the king of darkness was an equal to the overlord who governed the seven elements and the light. But many a follower believed that the man could overcome his supposed equal, and felt that his morals and emotions were binding his true potential. The man preferred the stagnation of his role though, for though he was bound to that duty he truly enjoyed having the ability to go to and see the many splendors of the universe without ever coming to odds with his more pure counterpart. There was only one thing that he was jealous of though, and that was that his counterpart had whisked from his arms the woman he wished to love for all eternity, even though said love at first only came to be via a contract between two tribes."_

"_The man's second-in-command, a being chronicled to be the true embodiment of the truly despicable aspects of darkness, tried his hardest to manipulate his leader to take action, especially after the man's mind became conflicted after witnessing the Overlord's decision to seal away one of the universe's greatest threats instead of killing him as his duty dictated he should have simply because he was once his closest friend. It did not help that witnessing the happiness the woman eventually grew to have around her contracted husband caused his balance of control over the seven deadly sins to weaken with the increase of his Lust and Envy."_

"_Eventually the chain of events, from the loss of what he believed to be his along with his belief that the Overlord was unworthy to govern the balance of light after his fool hearted decision in the prior war against his friend's tribe, grew into bitter seeds of rage and jealousy, which split the shell of the once honorable and misjudged man and left behind a being of pure malice and sadism. He then sent his men into war against the Overlord, his army pleased beyond belief by their leader's sudden change in views and relishing the slaughter they were now fully able to commit to. The Dar King confronted the Overlord himself on their home planet's moon, engaging in a battle that shook the very stars themselves, many of them threatening to go supernova or become black holes depending on who held the advantage at the time."_

"_With the threat of the universe's safety on the line though and a stronger belief in his righteous victory, the Overlord conquered his counterpart, capturing and binding his body in the strongest chains of light he could muster. The decision was made to seal the Dark King's spirit away in an infinite chasm on a simple, run-of-the-mill planet called Plit, where the Elemental Overlord's powers would also be sealed in order to preserve the balance of light and darkness. But the Dark King refused to let fate be as it was, even with his spirit rotten amongst the screaming banshees and hallowing cries that plagued him in the chasm."_

"_As the years passed by in what felt like a nightmarish eternity, the Dark King managed to let slip a small essence of his spirit into the mortal world, trying his hardest to get even one soul to listen to his manipulations so he could make anyone his vessel. But the people of the world were for the most part too pure to even hear a whisper from him. It was only two-thousand years later when a young kid who held a high amount of malice within his heart came to Plit, and through the help of the witch Cackletta he came to become one with the Dark King's spirit and continued on his dark legacy of killing the previous Elemental Overlord…Or so the Dark King thought…"_

The voice fades away, and I fall out of the portal onto a large rooftop composed entirely out of sandy looking bricks and decaying moss. Everything seemed dim around me, as the light had been flushed from the landscape and replaced with a hazy black fog similar to the one I saw around the mysterious being. With my body standing straight up I looked around, finding no edge to this rooftop and nothing but dark clouds in the sky that were crackling menacingly with electricity and felt ready to burst at any given moment. As I readily drew my flaming sword out, I looked around once more and felt my heart pounding one steady beat after another.

Suddenly, something catches my eye, a forced movement from the right corner of my eyes. I turn in subconscious fear, raising my sword at arms length as the thicker dark mist from earlier swirls together to form a solid human being on the opposite side of the roof. The being makes their entrance by opening their glowing red eyes and giving me a rather sadistic looking, fanged smile. My grip almost immediately loosened as my body temperature dropped and my pupils shrunk in shock. Appearing before me with the exact same age and appearance he did once before was Joe Dark, the new Dark King who Alex had successfully killed over a year ago. In the grasp of his out held right hand was a sharp dagger that could rend the flesh from bone, and his clothing consisted of a brown shirt with a gruesome skull and tattered blue jeans.

As cliché'd as it sounded, at least there was precedence for his choice of clothing, if I recall. But his appearance mattered little, for all it took was his bloodlusting gaze for me to suddenly become concerned with my situation. After everything else I had dealt with, it was hard to believe that this remnant of Alex's past could unnerve me as much as he was. Or perhaps it was because the Dark King's spirit was within him right now, and by peering into his pupils I perceived the spirit's true form as well. Whatever the case, I leaned forward slightly and raised my blade in cautious defense, my eyes twitching in fear as they tried to focus upon my opponent and wait for his next move.

The boy creaked his head upward slightly, looking down upon me with a bewilderingly high amount of malice as he said to me in a subdued yet echoing tone of voice _"Die, Whiter…"_ As my cold sweat trickled off of my face I blinked and failed to keep my focus together, and in the instance it took for that all to happen Joe Dark had appeared behind me with his dagger primed and ready to be impaled into my spinal cord. I had to react quickly, my body flipping around and blocking his blow with an instinctive swing of my sword that had the downside of forcing my body to skid backwards across the ground for a total of six and a half feet.

He didn't stop though, and lurched forward across the air like a rabid beast. He swung his arms out wildly, managing to place the dagger in the opposite hand every time he reached the top of his motions so he could continue on without end. His mounted offense proved difficult to handle at first, as I had to move my guard left and right in tune with his movements. Each colliding slash of his pushed me farther towards the edge of the roof, until it reached a point where one more slash would make me tumble backwards against my will and give him an easier chance to strike me down.

I leaped backwards in the nick of time though, straightening my body before pushing it forward and bringing my sword down quickly to launch a wave of fire at my menacing foe. But as quickly as I drew down my blade so to did the boy swing his sword horizontally at my attack, cutting it through the center point and breaking it down before both halves could even touch him. He grinned brightly, his eyes widening as the phantasmal glow in his eyes dies down and a pale black aura spawns around his body. _"That's right Whiter, fight back…Make this futile battle of yours pleasurable for me!" _He bemoaned in ecstasy, and as my body stood in the air mid-flight I didn't even flinch at the boy's words and made sure he wouldn't leave my sight again.

Joe Dark, having now increased his strength, proceeded to limply raise his left hand into the air, the backside aimed at me until he lifted it up and drew demonic energy towards the palm. With a single gesture a beam of dark energy is launched my way, leaving me no choice but to quickly fly to the left in order to avoid it. However, the boy surprised me by swinging his hand to the right, making the beam follow me as it bends like a whip. Its speed rivaled that of my own, and I couldn't outmaneuver it due to Joe Dark turning his body around one step at a time in order to keep up with his own attack.

So with no other option left I paused in place, turned towards the beam, and cut down the section of darkness to the left of me. The rest of the beam is dispersed momentarily as the whip passes to the side of me and regrows its lost segment, but in the meantime the surprised yet pleased Joe Dark gets struck with a swift ball composed entirely of wind blades to the face. The boy's head is pushed backwards against its will and the beam is dispelled, leaving his hand crossed in front of his chest as he creaks his head back up to reveal that the smile on his face is still present, even with all the miniature scars that I have now inflicted upon the surface.

"You have got to be kidding me…" I begrudgingly noted as the boy in black took his left sleeve against the bottom part of his face where the most blood was dripping from and wiped it clean off, leaving the dried up bits to be licked off with a pleasured swing of his tongue. _"Ok Whiter, if blood is going to be involved now…Perhaps its time you spilled some of yours for me to consume!" _Joe Dark then lashed out at me without any other warning, slamming his left hand against my face and launching me higher into the air with one powerful push. My body was sent spinning, and though I tried to recover the boy wasted little time in appearing beside the point where he predicted my back would be and jabbing his elbow into the lower segment to get me to flinch forward from the recoil of his blow and give him a few more seconds to attack.

Not content with what he has done though, Joe Dark dispels his dagger for a moment by converting it into a dark sphere of energy and slamming it against my hip, the momentum from his blow creating a shockwave from the burst of his sphere and twirling my body around multiple times. I catch his next action from the corner of my eyes. He took his hands out to the side and drew dark electricity from the clouds so they would wrap around his fingers, engulfing them until they formed the shape of jagged claws, at which point time itself paused and I caught a glimpse of his eerie smile as he brought his claws down through the air so quickly that the air was left permanently scarred by red, glowing gashes.

The claws rip through my body, but leave no physical wound as I seizure in place for a few seconds. I am then thrust to the ground back first, the impact failing to break apart the rooftop and leaving me to bounce once into the air, my eyes widening in shock as my innards suddenly felt hollow and my sword fell onto the ground beside me as my limb itself fell limp. He didn't tear into my body because that was not his target. He rend through my soul with those claws of his, weakening it immensely and making it even more difficult for me to fight back. "No way…This is insane…"

I breathed heavily as I looked up at Joe Dark as he descended towards the ground in front of me. "Its impossible…I don't care how badly this kid's life went…There is just no possible way that someone like him could hold in this type of malice and still reasonably function…Even with ghoulish and demonic features he still looked like a human being, just as he was when he was born into this world…" I tried to force my hand onto the handle of my sword, picking it up along with my body off of the ground and getting onto my feet, even if I was rather tipsy from the damage brought onto my soul.

I glared into Joe Dark's pale eyes as I felt the cold hand of death looming behind me, ready to pluck me away at a moment's notice. _"Your time draws to an end…"_ Whether it was death or Joe Dark speaking of me, the truth was still there, echoing in my eardrums no matter how much I wanted it to go away. I could see that I stood no chance against Joe Dark while fear kept me from going all-out, and it also made me realize that though I was Alex's clone, perhaps I hadn't truly inherited all the courage he had displayed in the past. Or maybe the problem was that the stress from concern for my friends left me more vulnerable to fear of the boy's malicious whims.

Of course, even without the fear and concerns, Joe Dark would still have an advantage over me, seeing as he had two more forms to go through, both of which I felt would surpass my remaining forms with ease. "Should I really allow things to end like this?" I asked myself a rather stupid question, taking a deep breath in as Joe Dark finally landed on the ground with the right side of his body pointed towards me as he lifted his eye up and glared brightly with ecstasy. A rational answer came from the moment I took to collect my thoughts, each segment presented in the form of question after question "Do you have promises to keep? Do you want to die? Do you feel fulfilled in life?" Yes was the answer to only the first one, and with my conclusion I stood up straight and held my blade at the side of my body.

Looking out towards Joe Dark with fierce determination, I put my blade behind my body and kneeled down, bracing myself to either strike or defend against the next attack much like a samurai would in this situation. I didn't care about how much death wanted to reap my soul, I wasn't going to let him grab it prematurely. I was going to lose it my way, not his. "Come on Joe Dark, strike me with all you got!" There was a rather calm sensation that fell upon my body after I said that, and as the boy giggled and raised his dagger towards my heart. _"Very well…Perish, you weakling…"_ As an ethereal energy blade spikes out from the tip of the dagger, I blink once and prepare to fight back when a familiar noise yells out triumphantly through the air.

"FLAME CANNON!"

In a matter of seconds, the crisping sound of flames covers my eardrums as a massive tunnel of fire thrusts across the ground in front of me and intercepts the energy blade, burning it to a crisp along with scorching the ground with a black streak of ash. "Huh?" Genuine shock was my first reaction to both the sound and the attack, and for a moment Joe Dark actually stops in place and look out towards the figure responsible for saving my life. A few footsteps ring in my eardrums, and before I know it standing before me is Alex Whiter, still in the cloak gifted to him by the Chronicler but with his famous arched sword burning brightly in the grasp of his gloved right hand.

"_Whiter…"_ Joe Dark growled at my original's presence, and though I was grateful for his appearance I couldn't help but ask him "Alex…H-How did you get here?" The young Overlord turned his head to look at me, but his first comment was not directed towards my question. "Stand up straight, you have no reason to worry anymore." I nodded my head, thanking him for noticing that and positioning my body correctly as he turns back towards Joe Dark and says to me "As for my appearance here, I just took an alternate entrance that lead to the staircase you were climbing up. I managed to slip by everyone's radar since they were either busy fighting Heartless or were focused on the citadel itself."

"Well that makes sense…Now a better question would be…Why are you here?" I asked calmly, trying to not bring up the bitterness of the end of our last meeting. "…After I left so suddenly yesterday I realized only a few hours later that I had left something behind at the Nova Cesspool, and upon returning to that area I saw it was gone and assumed you had taken it. I was unable to find out where you were until Mr. Reality attacked Toad Town, so I followed you here…Of course, I think you'll be needing it to save the day, so for now I'll let you borrow it and also bail you out of this situation."

"Wait, what do you mean by-" "HEY! Reality bender! I know you are watching here, so I have something to say to you!" Alex ignores the rest of my bewildered response and calls out to the dark clouds above, where a voice replies to him in piqued curiosity. _"Yes, child?" _"I can understand you having a problem with Mew right now, but to create an illusion of Joe Dark to try and break his soul before he reached you? Come on, you can't tell me that you don't have enough morality to realize how wrong that sounds, right? So I have an offer to give you…In exchange for letting Mew continue on to face you, I'll stay here and fight Joe Dark one-against-two to keep you entertained for a while. Does that sound like a fair bargain?"

The alien was silent for a few seconds, and all throughout that pause Joe Dark did not move an inch. _"Very well, I will accept your bargain…" _And just like that, a blue, ethereal portal is suddenly thrust open into existence behind me, with Alex tightly grasping the handle of his sword as the flames grew brighter. He looked on ahead at his opponent, taking two steps forward as I realized that something was off about what he said. "Wait, what do you mean one-against-two?" With a heavy sigh, the young Overlord tilted his head over his shoulder and said to an unknown force "Come on Reaper, I know you've been summoned here too…"

With the chill of death crawling over my body and causing my single to tingle with an otherworldly sensation, the Reaper I had seen earlier spawns from a ghastly, incomprehensible fog and appears behind Joe Dark, his eyebrow arched in anger at Alex as he says in his usual tone _"So we are back to square one, young Overlord…And this time I will be certain to finish the job…" _As Alex stood there with a thick air of confidence, I couldn't help but feel concerned about his well being and said to him "You can't do this Alex. Let me stay and fight along side you. Together we can best the both of them and then go on to-" My original raised his left arm into the air to stop me before I finished.

"Mew, I gave you a chance to go on here…Don't waste it just because you are suddenly concerned for my own well being." _"With disregards to the commitment you just made to the reality bender, I do believe that you would at least stand a marginal chance of winning if you teamed up, child." _The Reaper interjected after Alex had finished speaking, and my original turned towards the embodiment of death and said to him with firm confidence "You are just saying that because you want to reap Mew's life along with my own. Listen, you think you may have had an advantage before, but that's only because the aspect of death is more powerful than the aspect I wielded that was more prominent than the elements I had. Now I'm free of that aspect, which means I have the full strength of the elements to use against you."

Alex tried his hardest to avoid bringing up the subject of the Time Stone, which meant that he was feeling confident that it would be the one thing I needed to take Mr. Reality down. Still though, with a little bit of concern still lingering in my mind as I began to back up towards the portal, I said to Alex "Are you sure about this?" To which he turned to me with a warming smile and said "I won't even have to use my Phoenix Form." After which he looked away and prepared himself for battle, leaving me to do nothing more than entrust Alex to win this battle in my place while I leaped into the portal and headed back through the darkness towards the citadel once more.

_Next Time: The Bringer of Karm_


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38: The Unknown Promise**

I once again appeared in the citadel. The portal to the area I was just in is still there behind me, obviously to let Alex escape if he wins, but as I turned around and reach my hand towards it the limb just seeps through the ethereal energy and distorts it for a moment. As I pull my hand back towards my face I clenched the fingers into the shape of a fist and nodded my head, swinging my body back around and holding my sword at the hip as I looked on ahead into the more advance depths of the citadel and kneeled down upon noticing some pyramid shaped device on the pillars twirling around the structure and spreading their plates out ready to fire towards me.

"Alright, lets do this…" I had no hesitation left in me, and with one quick slash where my blade slipped through the ringed fingers of my left hand I deflected three lasers back to the guns, frying the inner circuitry and forcing it to shut down to perform repairs. I then stood up and dashed on ahead through the hallway, spinning my body and performing accurate slashes left and right to deflect anymore lasers that came my way. I wasn't expecting to disable all the guns as I traveled on ahead, but as long as I avoided taking damage then I would be ok with how things were going.

As I cleared the pillars I flipped around and ran backwards as I heard a strange whirring noise coming from the ceiling above. The straightaway lead into a sudden incline as a yellow circular glow appears from holes that have opened up. In a matter of seconds, pillars of holy light thrust down and strike the ground, not only creating a tremor that almost throws me to the ground, but also melts through the mechanical paneling. Worst of all, they were being summoned at a rapid pace. If I didn't hasten my own pace, I would be incinerated. Unless…

With some quick thinking I jumped, kept my momentum while I traveled through the air, spun around, and threw my sword towards the top part of the staircase like a javelin. Once it impaled itself on the lip of the top, I turned back around and braced my arms across my face vertically, coating them in a reflective glass as the next laser comes crashing down from above. As it was made of light, a portion of the beam refracted off of the backside of my arms and thrust straight ahead in the form of an ultra thin spread of energy.

Not only does this cut through the beam it originated from, but it also has the added bonus of slicing through the slanted ceiling and the machinery that spawned the other beams. When the last beam has finished doing its job and slips away from sight, I lower my arms and turn them back to normal, looking ahead to see the blue electricity crackling through the slit in the ceiling, which I was surprised hadn't partially collapsed after what I had done to it. "Huh, I'll have to keep that in mind for a later date…" I noted to myself after blinking my eyes twice at the damage I had caused to the temple.

Afterwards, upon taking a look down at the holes made in the ground and making certain that the outside world wasn't struck by the scorching beams of light, I turned around and finished climbing the staircase, swiping my left hand towards the ground to pick up my sword and throw it over to the grasp of my right one with ease. With a quick push through the thin hallway, I ended up in another room where I was welcomed into it by nearly falling off the edge of a thin platform. As I swung my arms and body back and forth to regain my balance, forgetting in the heat of the moment that I could fly, I looked out and caught brief glimpses of beams of light spread out from place to place, intertwining together into a web that would inevitably carry someone to the other side.

Once on my feet, I look out at the puzzle presented by the beams and think about if there was a clear solution or not. The first thing I saw was the fact that the red beam of light below ended above an ice blue beam, which in turn curved around another beam until it would deposit someone onto a lone, square platform in the middle of the room. So without much else to go on from my point of view, I leaped down into the red beam and was instantly carried through the air at a speed relative to that of…Well, light! I made it out before I could even bat an eyelash, the sensation I felt upon exiting being that of volcanic warmth as I fell onto the icy blue light and was pulled around in a spiral, a powerful chill being thrust into my body before I left.

I landed on the aforementioned platform afterwards, the icy blue beam high enough above me so I couldn't re-enter it unless I wanted to. "Actually, I wonder why I can't just fly to the other side and be done with it…" I immediately turned to the right and tried to walk off, only for my body to smack into the side of an invisible barrier and rebound a few steps back. As I rubbed my damaged nose gently I said to myself in a snuffled tone "Ok, that's why…" Determining then and there that I was constricted to a maze, with the walls being unknown to everyone but the creator of this citadel. "Well, Alex would have an easy time here…Assuming the original Overlord did create this place."

With that comment mumbled to myself as usual, I turned and look ahead. There were two beams, one dark blue and another brown. I leaped into the brown one on instinct, traveling through it and getting a rather strange feeling on my skin as if I had been swiftly covered in dirt and it was dried. Upon leaving the beam, I dropped into a yellow one, which quickly zig-zagged my body back and forth diagonally through the air as I felt all of my hairs stand up on end until I left the beam and was forcibly stuck to the side of a metal plate via a magnetic force. Luckily, it was done feet first, and I could tell that all it would take is a simple thrust of the body to pull myself free.

I had two options from here on out, a foggy white beam and a green one. Considering the pattern thus far, the white one was the light I chose to fall into. As I was pulled downward and raised upward in a steady curve, I felt a gentle breeze grazing my face. Upon emerging, I was instantly tugged in by the dark blue beam of light from earlier, which had changed directions in order to catch me. I was thrust downward rapidly like a waterfall, a liquid sensation coating the area around my skin in the shape of a torpedo.

Finally, I am released into the path of a green beam of light, a tropical breeze and scent entering through my nostrils as I'm brought upwards and finally released onto the last platform. It is perfectly square in size and shape, with glowing golden rims that activate upon my arrival. The platform then moves forward, bringing me closer to the other side of the room where another blue portal awaited me. Behind the portal was a small ladder made out of a solid blue light, and I could sense Mr. Reality's presence on the next floor. _"This is the point of no return…Proceed now, and you can never go back…" _A voice called to me from afar, and though I knew it would not respond to my next comment I said to it anyways "Buddy, I knew that there was no return the moment I stepped into this citadel…" With confidence in my voice and pose I leaped into the portal prematurely, the platform I leapt from going back to its original location and leaving me stranded at this location.

As usual, a voice talks to me, explaining the history behind the opponent I am going to face. This time though, there was something very different about who they described. _"Long ago, when the Realm of Darkness was sealed away and the many worlds were lost forever to the darkness, new worlds had to be created in their stead. These worlds were plentiful in both appearance and size, and there was a massive variety in their species. However, to prevent the errors of the other universe, a being was created to govern it, its sole purpose being to prevent dimensional and interplanetary travels to other worlds simply because of what happened before."_

"_It was called the Master Hand, and the being was given the appearance of a left handed glove. Its first mission was to attack the Isle of the Ancients, but when the being proved brutal by slaughtering everyone, the higher-ups intervened and split the mind and sanity into another being who resembled a right hand glove. This was given the name of Master Hand, while the other one was titled the Crazy Hand. The Master Hand, with a full control over his vast intelligence, made sure that his more destructive counterpart would be kept under control, and would only appear whenever he wished for him to."_

"_The Master Hand knew nothing about his one mistake in the past, for the Crazy Hand retained those memories, though he lacked the ability to mention them due to his insanity. However, since the crimes were still done under Master Hand's name even though the body was that of the Crazy Hand, wouldn't it be true that both beings were guilty of the same crime? Who is to say really…Either way, time passed without many other disturbances in the way of dimensional or interplanetary travel, yet instead of slipping into boredom, an emotion that was truly beyond the Master Hand, the being became intrigued in the inhabitants of all worlds, and wanted to test their mettle in combat."_

"_He chose a simple form of combat, and plucked 12 combatants from varied worlds to perform a test run on this type of battling. The goal was simple…Fighters would go through a predetermined course of other fighters until they eventually reached him. Whoever defeated him would secure freedom for the rest of the fighters. When the victor succeeded, the Master Hand returned everyone to their time periods and homes, with not even a second having passed since their departure. Later on, the Master Hand tried this again, increasing the difficulty of the course and adding in a new one that also had to be completed for victory to be secured."_

"_I should not really have to explain what happens after that, for that was what was recorded in history. What you do need to know though, is that after many battles, and the interference of Tabuu long ago…The two hands are still alive, unpunished for the Master Hand's genocide of the Lord of Subspace's tribe. There was a promise made by the new Elemental Overlord to defeat the Master Hand, but do you believe after knowing what you know that it would be in the right to permanently slay either one of them? This particular dilemma will be a true test of your ability to judge right and wrong…"_

I dropped down from the darkness, landing on an eight-sided three-dimensional platform that consisted of a dark violet cracked rock pattern and a silver stripe that extended from the left to the right that was broken only in the center by a neon, circular spot. The atmosphere resembled that of deep space, with the black expanse filled with glowing stars of many different colors. I heard a deep, elderly yet echoing laugh coming from the left as my body froze in place and made it so I could only turn my head slightly to see who was coming. With my sword in the brace of my hand a gigantic, flying white right-handed glove came from out of nowhere, ending its flight above the opposite side of the platform directly in front of me.

It wiggled its fingers around slowly and calmly, its laugh ending as I could feel my body being freed of all bonds. Immediately taking my sword into the grasp of my right hand, I swung it out in an arch so the tip lashes against the ground, igniting the blade with crimson fire as the Master Hand made the first move against me. He flew backwards, keeping out of range until he flattens himself vertically and swings himself across the air. I defend by raising my sword into the air, and as the being smacks into me I am pushed across the ground. Before I am flung off the edge of the platform I activate my flight and continue skidding out across the air until I cushion the backside of my body with a packet of wind.

The Master Hand returns to the center of the field, but quickly rises into the sky and emerges in the background of the battlefield. He spins around like a tornado while his fingers are clenched into a fist and his body exudes a fiery exhaust. I thrust through the air the moment before the fist collides with my body, making it back onto the edge of the platform and preparing my sword for the moment where Master Hand makes it back to the center point. However, the being surprised me by not following a specific pattern, and instead it curves back around towards the front of the arena with its hand still shaped as a fist. Instead of taking the blow to give me an up close and personal shot at the hand, I leap diagonally into the air and swing my sword in an arc below me as is passes by, unleashing a wave of flame that strikes the hand and makes it flash between its normal color and red as bits of flame spread across its body.

However, while it was ignited and my body was suspended in mid-air, the hand spun itself around in a circle around my figured, moving tightly around through multiple rotations until a tornado is briefly created around me that stuns me as it knocks me into the air. Then, as I was unable to pay attention to where it went afterwards due to my sight being positioned towards the ground, the Master Hand rises above me and smacks me straight into the platform below, crushing me beneath the girth of his palm for a few seconds as I hear a bone crack somewhat in my left arm. But while the being has me pinned down, I smirked slyly and decided to surprise it with a trick of my own.

From the skins of my elbows grows a multitude of thin yet incredibly sharp thorns, which puncture through the surface of the glove and reach what I would assume is a vulnerable type of membrane beneath, especially considering how quickly the Master Hand lifts his hand up and shakes the pain away before returning to the center of the platform and giving me enough time to pick myself up and retract the thorns before they interfere with the movement of my limbs. With a quick one-handed swing of the sword that unleashes a flame wave meant to fake out the hand by getting to lift itself upward, I leap into the air just a few inches above the glove and pull my right arm behind my body as I fall down sideways and grasp my sword tightly.

After coating the arm in steel to strengthen the impact of my slash, I felt rest assured that my attack would hit in full. Much to my dismay and surprise though, the Master Hand quickly floats across the air, managing only to be struck by the tail-end of my slash as it readies it fingers in a gun-like shape and creates a glow in the tip of the two fingers pointed at me. After recovering from the force of my slash I float straight up and quickly raise my left hand into the air, bringing it down to summon forth a cascade of water from the sky that crosses paths with the two golden bullets that speed straight out of the fingers. With the water weighing it down, the bullets are knocked out of their trajectory and they proceed to crash against the ground and create an explosion that only lasts a millisecond due to the water putting it out.

I then cross my left hand in front of my face and surround the pressed fingertips with pulsating electricity that is barely contained in the area of confinement I have put them in. Thus, with only seconds until the electricity backfires onto me, I brandish my hand forward and shoot out a bolt of lightning that burns right through the center of Master Hand's body. No mark is left on the surface after a few seconds, the circular burn point fading away in a rather eerie fashion as I pull my smoking fingers back and watch as the hand clenches its fingers together with a bone-like crackling noise pushing through the skin before it spreads it fingers apart and begins taking swinging itself left and right through the air towards me.

Whether it was attempting to swat me aside or smack me around, I took the offensive here by first dropping my sword in front of my body horizontally, placing the heel of my shoe against the backside of the handle and kicking it with enough force to send it forward like a lance, causing it to impale through the center of the hand's palm and making it stop moving just inches away from my body. However, instead of staying in place, the Master Hand is quick to change tactics and it wraps its fingers around my figure, tightening its grasp as hard as physically possible to crush me within slowly but surely. Though my vision was devoid of most light, I was still able to concentrate on my blade on the outside.

Taking both of my hands and using all of my strength to push against the palm and the fingers to keep them from squeezing me any further, I then close my eyes, gather my wits, and lock on to my sword as it was now laid flat against the ground. With a quick turn around after commanding it to hover above the air, I unleash a rapid flurry of flaming slashes, each one alternating between vertical and horizontal as far as directions go until the last one strikes the backside of the Master Hand in an "X" shaped design. As the hand releases its grip on me and my body begins to fall towards the ground, the being leans back in pain and time starts to slow down. With the background becoming a swirling white vortex that consumes everything whole in a glowing light, I hear an echoing, high-pitched and unhinged laugh coming from afar, a bad omen for the battle from here on out.

When the light fades away the battlefield has changed immensely. Though the background was still that of space, there was now some purple and dark blue cosmic fog spread over the glowing stars. The platform, while still eight-sided in shape, was now thinner and more spread out, with the silver stripe replaced with a full, dark grey lane and some grated mesh now placed onto the platform to reveal some three-dimensional blue object with orange rims spinning around the center of a glowing, miniature black fusion reactor that is sending a thin beam of light downward infinitely.

After I had described the changes in my head, the new fighter, a left-handed glove that wiggles its fingers around without any sense of control as it flies through the air, stops behind me as time suddenly resumes and the battle continues. The Crazy Hand quickly becomes a fist and thrusts forward, smashing right into my backside and punching me into the open palm of the Master Hand, who clenches his own fingers together and lifts me into the air, reaching the proper height before punching down onto the ground and letting go of me at the last second. As my body hits the ground at the maximum velocity, recoil kicks in and I am bounced back high into the air, the platform shrinking rapidly in my squinted line of sight until I spread my limbs out wide and break my forced ascent.

Immediately afterwards I dispel my sword and fold my arms in front of my chest, unleashing a quick beam of fire out towards the center point between both floating hands. As the tip of the beam connects with the ground a fiery explosion grows outward in all directions, though to my dismay the hands fly in random directions to avoid being consumed by it. With the Master Hand quickly flying at me from the right in the shape of a fist I bend my head backwards to avoid having it blown clean off, and the cusp of the glove ends up grazing my nose. However, my troubles aren't over yet as reeling my head back allows me to look up and see the Crazy Hand spiraling downward with his fingers pushed together like a drill.

Flying backwards through the air to avoid it after straightening my head out, I then take my sword out and cut the Crazy Hand vertically with the tip of my blade. The being of insanity still descends though, since my mere cut was not enough to disrupt him. I then since a disturbance in the air coming from the left, and with a swerve of my head my eyes widen upon noticing the Master Hand cocking his fingers up and down in rapid succession, sending bullets after bullets my way as I weave across the air to avoid each one. The Master Hand tries to get a peg on where I will eventually end up, but when he does I figure out what his plan is ahead of time and promptly use my sword to cut the bullets diagonally with one hand so the split halves graze past the sides of my body and explode.

The explosion does nothing more than ruffle the backside of my hair, and as the Master Hand stops firing projectiles I quickly realized that the Crazy Hand was about ready to strike me from behind in some manner, seeing as the Master Hand telegraphed the arrival of his companion by wiggling his point finger in the air as if to taunt me. I fly upward to avoid a punch from the more insane of the two, who then flies below me and collides into the Master Hand's awaiting palm, releasing a dark shockwave that extends past their bodies. The Crazy Hand pulls out and shakes himself a couple times to remove the pain from his knuckles.

While they are momentarily stunned, I clench my left hand into the shape of a fist and thrust my hand high into the air after unfolding the fingers to release a burst of air from within my grasp. Wind comes collapsing in all around the two hands, and in a matter of seconds they are bombarded by a flurry of wind blades. I hear the sound of the blades scratching against their body, but am surprised when neither hand flinches at my attack. The Crazy Hand, laughing maniacally, turns into a fist and charges right out of the storm of blades towards me, the air splitting away from its body in a bullet like shape.

As friction heats up the shape around him to give him a translucent red-orange glow, I thrust my sword downward in an arc, bracing myself against the air with my feet pushed backwards as I clash against the force of Crazy Hand's punch. It was a defense I couldn't mount for long, seeing as Master Hand was still free to strike from any junction, whenever he wanted to. I shifted my eyes back and forth as I grit my teeth and pushed forward, raising the intensity of my sword's flames and successfully pushing the Crazy Hand back through the air against his will, slowing down his momentum to the point where he has to break away to avoid being cut in two.

However, as he reels back he lifts himself up, moving his fist vertically so he can pound down on top of my back while I was in the middle of my slash, hitting me with enough strength to send me hurtling back into the platform that I had long forgotten about. The collision sends a plume of dirt into the sky, covering my body and causing me to inhale a bit of it in and release a quiet yet dry cough to remove it from my esophagus. Though I do not see it from my current position, Crazy Hand unfolds his fingers from above and releases a rain of negative energy bombs condensed into a solid form.

The bombs all collide with me, making my head and legs lash back and forth with each hit until they stop. By then my back is left smoking from the impact of them all, and though I felt a bit damaged from the assault I pushed myself up while using my sword as a crutch until I stood up straight all the way. While I rose off the ground, I felt a powerful energy charging up in the air behind me. Turning around quickly, I see the two hands combining together high up into the air, their fingers pressed to form the barrel of a gigantic gun, the tip burning with radiant energy that is a mixture of both light and fire.

As the smooth orange glow expands outward towards me, I raise one hand over my forehead to defend against the brunt of it, glaring towards the sky as well as I could as I dispel my sword and in its place I create a small ball of fire that expands in size slowly. As it overtakes the area of my hand, I swing my right arm in front of my face, leaving a trail of fire behind briefly as I swing my opposite limb out to the side and create a flame in that too. I then move my arms around in a specific, circular pattern, the fire melding together when I clap my hands in front of my chest and seething into the cusp of my palms until it becomes a condensed orb that gets pulled behind my body.

With both of our attacks charged to their maximum potential, I thrust my arms diagonally into the air, unleashing a powerful beam of flame twice as big in circumference as my whole body. I cannot see the other beam at this point, the only confirmation of its launch being the fact that the impact in the center of the air causes my body to be pushed back a couple inches against my will until I can fully brace them with small, metal curves behind the heels of my shoes. Both forces try to overcome the other, and though the hands' beam proves to be stronger at first, with a brave thrust of my eyelids and a bellowing scream I tighten my muscles and unload as much fire into the beam as possible without exhausting myself in case this were to fail.

With the beam growing in size, the edge of the front of it widens and consumes the other beam, pushing through the rest of it until it is only a few inches away from the hands. After pulling my own hands away and letting the beam continue on its way, I notice the Master Hand splitting away from his counterpart out of fear for his own life, and though the insane counterpart tries to escape himself he is but a second late and the moment he turns his body he is consumed in full by the flames I launched. The Crazy Hand lets out a massive screech in pain, and unlike the other times it has been "killed" the being's entire body is disintegrated without mercy, the scream becoming nothing more than a hollow echo as my beam dies out and the area becomes covered in a bright white light once more while time grinds to a ticking halt.

When the light disperses, I am left standing on an entirely new platform. Having discarded the octagonal design in favor of a thinner, more rectangular form, the sleek metal blue surface has a rather wavy design while the diamond in the center hides a glowing red crystal underneath the metal wire cage. The rest of the platform maintains a rather advanced look, mechanical appearance. The sky has now lost all of its stars, and the cosmic fog from earlier has not only faded out slightly but there is now yellow fog out there instead of purple.

As I shook my head around to look at the scenery for a brief moment, I am taken off-guard by a sudden, high velocity punch from the side by the Master Hand. The being had been driven mad with righteous fury at the death of its counterpart, and the anger strengthened his blow with enough force to send my body twirling a mile away from the platform like a torpedo. With a burst of speed the hand makes it behind me just soon enough to catch me like it was a baseball mitt, and after tightening its grip around me it shakes me around a few times to disorient and prevent me from escaping prematurely.

It then flings me up and turns his fingers into a gun, and though my eyes are blurred throughout his actions here and now I do manage to catch the first pair of bullets as they thrust through the air and explode right upon me. The detonations send me higher into the air with each consecutive shot, until there is enough distance between me and him to give me enough time to recover and draw my sword out to cut through the last bullets he sends my way. With my body covered by the smoke from the explosion, I get a grip on where I am at and close my eyelids to listen to what the air has to say in order to peg where the Master Hand plans to strike from next.

With a disturbance in the sky from the southeast, I turn my body in that direction and use a series of vines that emerge from the sides of my shoulders to grab the Master Hand by the thumb and pinkie finger, suspending his flight as the smoke clears away and gives me a clear view of his body. However, as I was ready to strike him with some strong sword slash against all parts of his body, the Master Hand pulled his bound fingers inward, dragging me through the air to my surprise in an attempt to grab my body and crush it with all of his strength. Refusing to let the pattern of attack begin again, I disconnect the vines from my arms, and with my momentum still moving me towards the being I kick my feet outward and shoot powerful jets of flames from the soles of my shoes.

Propulsion does the rest from there on out, and I am moved away from the Master Hand the moment he closes his fingers against his palm. As I move back I smile and let out a merry breath at my close escape, taking my sword then afterwards and swinging it out to strike the Master Hand with a flame wave, followed afterwards my me turning my legs around and striking forward through the air with my left fist held behind my back. I coated it in a sharp crystalline texture and punched the Master Hand right in the knuckle of his middle finger, creating a few scars on the surface that leak out a foreign, light-blue blood for a few seconds as the being flies back and swings his hand around to shake the liquid off.

The Master Hand, upon recovering, spreads his fingers in the air and fires a laser beam from each tip, at first firing in random directions with only one actually focused on me, but after a few moments spent being evasive the hand works his lasers in such a manipulative way that he could actually cage me in and fry me. However, by using the reflective surface of my blade to deflect one of the lasers in another direction, I slip out of the incoming cage from the left side, moving my sword in such a way that the energy collides with the Master Hand's palm and burns him to the point that he stops his attack and twitches at the damage he took.

His momentary pause allows me to rush in and hit him with a powerful onslaught of flaming slashes the likes of which I had never used before. My attacks were perfectly dictated by the movement of my arms, the harmonious flurry striking the Master Hand and wearing him down rapidly. Eventually, time freezes momentarily as the being suddenly screams in its normal tone of voice and shifts straight up, its body flying in an arch through the air and away from my sight as random explosions plague it all-around. I knew what it was doing though, and that this retreat of his would give him a chance to recover and live unpunished once more.

"No, you won't escape again, Master Hand!" With burning determination set on the desire to fulfill Alex's promise to Tabuu for him, I grip my sword in both hands and hold it behind me as I pierce downward through the air to chase after the fleeing and descended Master Hand. With flames powerful enough to burn a scar in time and space reaching out past the boundaries of my blade, I close in the massive hand and swing my sword in a crushing arch that breaks the Master Hand in two diagonally. Everything then suddenly starts to slow down as the hand splits apart, the energies stored within its body collapsing upon itself as furious sparks ring out between the two halves and the entire area becomes encompassed in a glowing white light.

After feeling nothing for what felt like an eternity, the light is suddenly flushed out of my eyes and I find myself back in the citadel, my body fully healed surprisingly and my mind left wondering if that battle actually occurred or not. With a few blinks of the eyelids I say to myself "Did I really kill the two hands? …If so, then good, a great injustice has been dealt with at last…But if that wasn't real, then what was the point of me 'fighting' them?" With my mind straying more towards the former than the latter, I shook my head and proceeded towards the ladder in front of me, and with no obstacles left it was time to confront and defeat Mr. Reality once and for all.

_Next Time: The Battle Continues_


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39: Mr. Reality II: The Battle that Time Already Recorded**

As I climbed the ladder nice and slowly, the area around me rumbled immensely, the lasers from the citadel whirring across the sky as the ones from Alpha's ship impact it. I flinch momentarily as dust and debris is shaken off of the wall behind me and falls on top of my head. A quick turn around revealed that the attacks were successfully cracking the front of the citadel. Still, I couldn't help but think of the damage Alpha's ship has to have endured by this point, yet at the same time I also worried about the heroes. Hopefully, they weren't getting too caught up in the crossfire as they dealt with the Heartless. With a steady look up at the rest of the ladder, I continue my ascension until my head peers out through the hole in the ceiling and I enter what I assume is the main control room for this citadel.

The first thing I notice is a gigantic, thick glass wall at the backside of the room that keeps in check a formless mass of pristine, glowing light in all of its purity with the help of some mechanical arms that try their hardest to try and condense the light into a spherical form. Standing in front of the wall is Mr. Reality, who currently has his limbless hand floating in place behind his back. I pull myself out of the hole, kneeling against the ground for but a moment as I stand up straight and draw my sword into the angered grasp of my right hand. With a scowl on my face and the flames on my blade igniting rapidly, I face the reality bender as he doesn't turn to acknowledge my presence and instead raises his right hand calmly beside his helmet and begins to speak.

"Welcome, Overlord Mewmaster, to my Reality Citadel. I would assume you enjoyed those encounters along the way…Especially that last one, considering the crimes those two hands had gotten away with in the past. You have to admit, it was rather nice of me to lure the Hands here so you could kill them for good, yes?" I didn't give him any response, especially since his casual attitude and demeanor really pissed me off given what he had done before. "…Silent are we now? That's interesting, especially since every other time you've at least said something to my usual comments. Or perhaps you cannot hear me amidst all the noise outside…Let me fix that for us real quick."

That foreboding remark, coupled with a few seconds of silence that was broken by a mighty snap of his right fingers, caused me to turn my head around quickly towards the window that rested behind me. As the M.S.I. battleship fought gallantly against the Citadel, the above it suddenly ripped open and a massive laser thrust out and crashed through the center of the deck, burning a hole through the ship that disrupts its levitation field and sends the large, burning remnant hurtling towards the ground at a snails pace, with everyone who was still alive presumably still in the commander center.

My immediate reaction after widening my eyes in shock was to try and tell into the communicator in my ear with a desperate cry of "ALPHA! Come in! Can you hear me?!" When nothing but static filled my eardrum my pupils shrunk and I slowly retracted my hand away from my ear while my facial features sink to show my abject horror at the situation. Seconds after my arm has laid against my hip, I see a gigantic, fiery explosion rise up through the air, the sound muffled by the layers of stone and glass in front of me yet the prominence of the battleship's destruction laying heavily on my mind.

For all I knew, Alpha…No, everyone, including Mario and the other heroes, perished in that explosion, which was a likely scenario considering how sudden that laser's appearance was. And yet, throughout this rush of emotions, I did not loosen the grip on my sword or fall to my knees in tears. That would solve nothing now. Instead, all that I witnessed merely served as a fuel to intensify my already volatile rage, and with a sudden swing of the body I directed all that anger towards Mr. Reality and screamed out at him at the top of my lungs "YOU SON OF A BITCH! Why did you have to kill all of them?! Your problem is with me, not them!"

The alien turns towards me slowly and arches his eyebrow in surprise, saying to me with a simple gesture of his left hand "Are you so naïve that you truly believe I would go that far? I simply removed the battleship from the picture so you would not be distracted anymore…I made sure to save this planet's heroes from harm. Of course, whether you wish to believe me after I destroyed the Princess' Castle…Well, that's something for you to decide upon, not me." "You shouldn't be destroying or killing anyone or anything anyways! You are missing the point here you goddamn alien!" The alien's lack of empathy in regards to the destruction he was causing…Well, I really do believe that it wasn't physically possible for me to get any angrier without becoming a mindless beast.

"Am I missing the point? If anyone is missing…Or rather forgetting things, it would be you, young Overlord…" With a slight grin on his lump of a face, the alien brandished one hand towards me while folding the other behind his back. I should have fried him then and there before he said anything, but there was still enough sanity left in my mind to realize that any sudden movements would likely be countered by his powers. I had to make sure his guard was down fully before I either used the Time Stone or attacked in any other way. Considering the talkative mood he appeared to be in, that opportunity was going to take a while to appear.

"Do you not remember what I said at the beginning of this all? I have purposely placed myself in the villain role, and as the big bad of this game of my own design it is my duty to give you as many reasons as possible to hate me. After all, what type of final battle would it be if it wasn't personal? I have threatened your friends and home, and you are sufficiently angered by my actions as you stand before me, yes? Then I have fulfilled my role well…Of course, between the two of us major players, it seems that I am the only one who is willing to follow the rules." The reality bender turns his body to the side at the end of his sentence and lets out a light chuckle as he shakes his head.

While I did see a point to his reasoning as to why he did such villainous actions, at least from his point of view, there was just no way I could ever justify murder, especially for such inane reasons such as the one he was giving me. "I did not cheat!" I say in rebuttal, hoping the sound of my voice will puncture through that thick glass helmet of his and get him to at least listen to my side of the story. "You take me for an idiot? I saw you meet with the original Overlord, who disguised himself as that Chronicler being, and who for the longest time proved to be incapable of being affected by my powers…And after that you acquired…_Something_ that allowed you to change forms in the battle against Mario and Giga Bowser."

"…So he knows I got something because of my encounter with Alex, but he has no clue as to what that object actually is…" This revelation was either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what actions Mr. Reality took from here on out. I kept myself looking angry, and as I grit my teeth to match my rage I said to the alien "And so what if I did acquire something? Do you honestly believe that I would purposely break your rules just to win that last temple battle?" I stayed firm in my resistance, keeping my stance as the alien turned his head towards me and let out another, yet rather intrigued chuckle. Not surprisingly, this piqued my interest greatly, but instead of demanding an answer to his behavior I waited for him to explain himself.

"Things truly are different from the last time…There are many similarities, yet you yourself have become a much different person than the one I saw the last time. And despite reaching the point where my memories of those events end, I still don't know what caused this five day game of mine to repeat." The mention of a five day game being repeated unhinged me somewhat, replacing my anger with hints of abject confusion in both my eyes and pose. "What do you mean by that?" I decided to ask, and the alien turned his body around in full to face me straight on. "I mean what I said, in that for the most part, we have been reliving the events of a previous five day cycle."

"That's impossible." I said to him, barely able to comprehend the implications of what he was mentioning to me. "I do wish to agree with you on that…And yet while I don't know the circumstances behind the repetition of events, what I do know is that this sensation of déjà vu was something I could not ignore once things started matching up far too accurately…Interestingly enough, despite these events repeating, five days worth of history in the entire universe have been lost forever…They happened, but no mortal has the capability to recall those events no matter how hard they wish to try. Of course, you and I aren't mortal, are we now?"

"…While that is marginally true, I don't recall having any sudden flashes or dreams to any of the events that happened prior to this moment. For whatever reason, it seems that you are the only one who knows that the events of this 'game' have repeated." I said to the alien in as calm of a voice as I could muster. "That's curious, actually. You see, for my memories to suddenly end around this point, that would mean that both of us would have been in the epicenter of whatever event caused the game to restart…Hmm, so I guess this means that this mysterious object of yours isn't the thing responsible for this particular predicament."

After murmuring to himself for but a few moments, Mr. Reality snaps his fingers in front of his cloak and his eyelid perks up without warning. "I think I get it now!" He says in a jolly, realized tone of voice. He then lays his hands beside the rim of his cloak and begins hovering slightly above the ground. I lift my head up slightly to look at him, keeping my ever-present look of confusion on my face as the alien smirks and says to me "I do admit, it is rather brilliant now that I think about it." He then thrusts his hands in front of his chest, focusing them down my way and causing me to brandish my sword at him and say in bewilderment "Oh, so you ready to fight at last?"

"No, you aren't deserving of a battle with me. Have you already forgotten that you broke the rules of my game? You see, why I'm taking this pose is not to engage in combat with you, but because I'm preparing to warp reality to restart the game once more." As Mr. Reality gave his answer in firm defiance of my desire to fight him, my eyes widen slightly and I retract my right arm to say in stunned surprise "W-What did you say?" "It all makes sense now, don't you see? During the previous five day cycle, you must have also cheated to beat the Ignitor Cave. So when you came to this very room after my prior actions that time, I must have decided to punish you by bending reality so you would have to restart the game from the very beginning, only without any memories of the events. I also wiped everyone else's memories save for my own, but I made it so I would only remember things as time passed along not only so things would be more interesting as they passed on by before my eyes, but in case you did the same thing you did before I would remember the punishment and repeat things if needed."

"So you see, its not that hard to understand…Now stand still, this is going to take a while, and it will be more pleasant for us both if you try not to resist…" After finishing his sentence, Mr. Reality crosses his hands at the palms and seals his eyelid gently, his mouth beginning to move as once again I am incapable of hearing even a whisper from him. Though I ignited the flames on my sword ready to disrupt him with one attack, halfway through the raising of my weapon I stopped and began to think about all that he has said. "…Everything has happened before…And time has passed across the universe anyways…And unless I stop Mr. Reality now he will make everything reset once again."

The implications of this horrified and shook me to the core of my mind. If I did actually "cheat" the last time around, that means that Mr. Reality destroyed Peach's Castle and the M.S.I. Battleship once before, and merely revived everyone that died when he reset the game. And upon thinking about revived people, I realized that the Master was likely brought back to life once before as well…And that I fought and killed the Hands before as well, though I guess that second one would have brought a smile to my face had I not been worried about everything else. As the movements of Mr. Reality's lips slowed down without explanation, everything in turn began to slow down around me as I tried to think quickly about what to do to stop this all from repeating in full.

"Think Mew, what could you do to stop this from happening?" I inquired to myself inside of my head. As that thought echoed, I lifted my head up and looked at Mr. Reality's face. His lips moved slowly, but I was positive that he was saying something. So why couldn't I hear anything? …The helmet shouldn't be muffling his voice that much, which means that something else is effect. I thought about everything I had seen of the alien up until this point in time, hoping to make a connection between his actions and determine from there if there was a way to counter his powers. After all, without a way to stop his powers, even if I went into combat against him he would be able to stop me with nothing more than a simple gesture.

…Wait a second. That's it! That's the one thing I should have noticed from the start, the one flaw in his reality bending powers that without it, would have allowed him to simple end things with a gesture right now instead of talking the way he was. As my eyes widened and a smirk crossed my face, unnoticed by the alien, I reached into my left pocket and drew the Time Stone into the grasp of my hand and held it straight up above my head. With it grasped tightly so nothing could break it free, I thought back to what Alex had told me. "The Time Stone can't let you willingly go back in time, but it will always let you freeze it…" After opening my lips to reveal a joyous grin, a small light emerges from the stone of bronze and black, covering the entire area in a light-blue field of energy and causing Mr. Reality's lips to freeze mid-sentence.

With all the time in the world now given to me by the Time Stone, I tucked the object away into my pocket and quickly flew up so I was right in front of the reality bender. There was no way for him to be aware of my presence in front of him, and that pleased my greatly. With my lips curling into a smile, and my thoughts rushing with a feeling of ecstasy due to how great it will be to finally give the reality bender a piece of my mind for all he has made everyone endure I said to myself "This punch is going to be for everyone that's been killed, manipulated, and suffered because of your twisted game!" I remove my sword from my hand, pulling my fist far behind my head as I grit my teeth and prepared to break through that glass helmet of his.

However, as I began to thrust my fist through the air, a flash passes through the room and dispels the light-blue field of energy, and with his eyelid creaking open suddenly Mr. Reality notices my attack and stops moving his lips so he can block the impact of my blow with a sudden raise of his hands. As my fist impacts with his palm, his entire body is pushed downward through the air, though he catches himself with a gracefully swing of his hands that creates a cushion of wind above the ground. As he stares up at me in wide-eyed, utter confusion, I hold my arm out slightly before lowering my body to the ground and expressing the same confusion over the matter, though I don't let that be known via my facial expression.

"Why did time unfreeze?" I thought to myself as I quickly drew my sword for battle, knowing that Mr. Reality would likely strike against me now that I interrupted his powers. The only answer I could give in response to my own inquiry was "Could it be that my attack disrupted the time stone's powers because it relies on me to completely focus on it? Or maybe physical aggression breaks the stone's influence…" As I stood there, twisting my head to think about it, Mr. Reality called out to me and said "W-What did you just do there?" For once in his life, he was unhinged by my actions, and his agape jaw and sweating forehead showed an inner fear towards my powers.

After standing upright with a smirk of confidence on my face, I pulled the Time Stone from my pocket and flipped it once through the air, making sure that the reality bender paid close attention to the object as I took grasp of it once more and swung my arm in front of my chest. "I took control of this situation, that's what I did." "T-That's impossible, there should have been no way for you to get as close to me as you did…EXPLAIN YOURSELF!" The alien lost his composure slightly, and as he brandishes his right hand out towards me I chuckle and pulled my head back with glaring at him slyly "Its not so fun on the other side, is it now? Very well, I will comply, since there is nothing you can do to stop it with your powers."

"You see, throughout this game of yours and the battle we had prior to it, I noticed something. You always moved your mouth, yet no noise came out of it. With reality still bending to your will, I realized just now that you are unlike most other reality benders. Instead of manipulating the universe around you with but a simple gesture and thought, you have to indicate what you want to be changed through your mouth, meaning that time has to be spent before your powers go into effect. Of course, you wouldn't want people to find out what you plan to do ahead of time, so you likely have manipulated reality beforehand to make it so the only person who hears your reality bending commands would be yourself! See this in my left hand here? This is the Gaia Temporis, which I simplified to the name of Time Stone. With it I froze time while you were in mid-sentence and went on the attack. And you want to know something else? I think I know why I was able to change forms now in the Ignitor Cave…Because the Time Stone projected a temporal field that negated the effects of the Midnight Channel! Don't you see now? You can't affect me with any of your powers while I wield the Time Stone, and now that I have realized this I think its time for me to turn this around and take you down once and for all!"

Mr. Reality floated in place, horrified by what I told him with each passing second, until finally the end of my sentence gave him a moment to tremble and say to me "The T-T-Time Stone? So that means that…" With a quick shake of the head, the alien pulled his hands in closer to his body and faced my pleased expression with one of urgent determination, spawning distorted orbs of energy into the front of his palms before declaring to me "You fool! Do not think that you have gained the upper hand just because you have stopped me from restarting the game for the time being! I can still use my powers in combat, and before you can even blink I will have you on your knees and that Time Stone of yours flung across the room! Do you hear me Overlord Mewmaster?! I shall not let you win this game while you wield that relic!"

_Next Time: The Unforeseen Consequence_


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40: Mr. Reality Final: Plit, Flung into the Gaze of Destruction Itself**

The battle has already been going on for about thirty seconds, and I am currently in the midst of dodging orbs that are being sent my way through the air by the reality bender. I leap back and forth, taking a break between jumps in order to cut some of the closer orbs with a steady swing of my sword. The halves crash beside the ground behind me and create light plumes of smog from the impact, and at the end of my swing I launch out a last minute wave of flame. Mr. Reality weaves his lips around quickly, moving his hands in front of his body and dispelling the orbs so he can grab the flame wave and condense it into a more ethereal form, whipping his hands around his body to guide its path before in a panic he flings the attack back at me as three, shockwave like waves of energy.

I leap over my reflected attack and fly through the air after adjusting my legs, getting in close and attempting to cut the alien across the helmet only for him to use his right fist to strike me in the gut and cause me to recoil backwards for a few seconds while he gets out of range of my recovered counterstrike. As he lands on the ground, he pounds it with the palm of his hands and the sound of an echoing gong rings through the air. Without warning, sound waves break through the air, striking deep into my eardrums the moment I pulled my body up from the previous blow. With the screeching noise of a thousand nails grinding against a chalkboard bombarding my eardrums, I am forced to pound my hands against the sides of my head to prevent the sound from forcing blood out and deafening me.

With my sword away for the moment, the reality bender raises his right hand off the ground, and with a quick few words he increases its size tenfold and launches it out at me in the form of a fist. With a gigantic impact against my entire body as the sound waves break, my body is flung across the room and it smashes into the glass window behind me, cracking the surface but not breaking any further than that. After pulling my body off the wall one arm and leg at a time, I draw out my sword and float across the air slightly as Mr. Reality retracts and shrinks his fist. With a bit of a ring in my ears, I shake my head to try and remove it while planning out my next move.

I brace my body and replace the flames on my blade with a powerful gust of wind that compresses and swirls around the thin, cold steel until I release it all in one arched cut through the air. A whirling tornado flies across the air towards the reality bender, but he merely dodges both it and the range of its suction with a leap. He positioned himself exactly where I wanted him to, and with enough air remaining in my blade I cut the sky upward and send a saw blade of wind towards him. With the attack rapidly approaching his face, he quickly talks to warp reality and clamps his hands against the sides of the windy saw blade to halt its movement. With his gloves glowing with a pale light-green aura that seeps into the attack, it is only a matter of time before the blade slows down and dissipates into nothingness.

Mr. Reality swings his arms out, sweating from the heat of the battle across his forehead as he gives me a calm yet rather arrogant smirk. However, while he was busy floating still in the air I summoned forth vines from the ground with but a thought, and they wrap around his cloak and hands to trap him in place much to his surprise. I then charge forth, ready to cut him while he was suspended, only for him to in turn shock me by detaching his helmeted head from the rest of his "body" without even saying a word. As my attack cuts through the vines and splits his cloak in two, I lift my head up and see the alien saying a few words to himself once more.

In a matter of seconds, a series of sparkles sharing the colors of his shoes, gloves and cloak appear around his body, and within seconds the aforementioned articles of clothing reappear completely restored. "So much for restraints then…" I noted as I turned and swung my sword out to the side of my body while curling my facial features to express annoyance. To bring the reality bender down from the air, I thrust my left hand skyward and called forth a torrent of water to smash the alien against the top of his helmet and bring him down onto the ground, where the water floods over him and spreads across the ground in a puddle for a few seconds until I choose to stop and shoot my left hand out to fire a piercing bolt of lightning to take advantage of the liquid set on top of the alien.

However, though the water kept his body pressed against the ground, thanks to his helmet his mouth was still free to move, as evidence by the sudden appear of magical sparks along a specific portion of the ground and the massive wall of stone that thrust up not a moment afterwards to the absorb my lightning bolt. As the reality bender floats up to the top of his self-created wall, he claps his hands together and begins spinning them around rapidly like a drill. In a matter of seconds their size increases and they fly out towards me in their combined form. With only seconds left until they hit me along with their current momentum preventing me from raising my guard, I dashed out towards the side in hopes of avoiding the hands.

However, with a light tug the gloves moved apart, the backside of the left glove smacking me mid-flight as it continues to spiral through the air and sending me hurtling into the ground below. After tearing apart and leaving a gash in the floor, the only signs of harm present on my body is the dirty scrape marks across my elbows. With dirt threatening to infect the wounds, I quickly work to pull it out with a thought after raising my body up slightly. I stand back up and look towards the reality bender as he pulls his hands back into his body, and with a narrowing glare I take some of the debris and dirt on the sides of the chasm and fling them through the air like a rain of needles.

All of these projectiles collide with the front of Mr. Reality's helmet, spreading out as a thick, obstructive layer that prevents him from seeing what is directly in front of him for the time being. I jump into the air, rapidly creating slabs of dirt for me to kick off of to reach the alien at a swifter pace. After a zig-zagging series of movements across the air, I take my right elbow and hit the alien straight in the helmet, breaking apart the dirt and hitting the glass hard enough to crack it and send him flying backwards until he crashes against the front of the container of light in the back of the room.

However, with the back of his helmet to protect him, the alien only suffers a mild feeling of distortion before he pulls himself off and looks over at me, his breathing become rampant and heavy all of a sudden as blood flushes into his eye and he looks in horror at the cracks in his helmet. With a rapid series of lip movements between breaths, the reality bender causes the cracks to seal up and makes it so he breathes at a normal pace once more, letting out a relieving sigh before he looks towards me in anger. As I floated in place and noted his sudden change in behavior after I cracked his helmet, I came up with a simple conclusion that I stated in my head with my eyebrows piqued in curiosity "I guess the air around here is toxic for him…"

After locking that information in my head so I remember that weakness for later, I draw out my sword once more and charge forward at the alien. As I do so though, he moves his lips and moves his hands around slightly. Without warning, my body freezes in place, not because it has been bound by any force, but because it instinctively recognized the changing environment around us. Everything began to distort, the walls, floor and ceiling becoming blurred until the colors are all that can be recognized of the room around us. That mixture of textures swirls around rapidly, eventually creating a gigantic, neverending vortex of dark purple, blue and red. Mr. Reality floats away from me, re-appearing above the center of the vortex while I am a bit dazed by its sudden appearance.

After raising his hands into the air, he launches forth a barrage of distorted reality lightning bolts, each one striking the ground around me randomly and causing the struck spots to no longer exist in a matter of seconds. Considering the randomness of the bolts, it was clear that he didn't intend to erase me from existence intentionally, and that these bolts were just obstacles for me to be wary enough so I don't end up running into them as I fight against the alien. I try a long-range approach at first, swinging my ignited sword outward to create a wave of flame that flies through the air to try and strike the reality bender. But with a snap of the fingers one of the bolts is re-directed, where it proceeds to collide with my attack and destroy it with ease.

With a bolt nearly smiting me across the front of my body, I leap back and pound the ground with my right fist after grasping the sword. The flames in the blade transfer downward past the handle, causing no scorch marks on my hand as it seeps through and between the fingers enter a crack in the ground I just made. With the flames traveling through the floor in secrecy, I quickly lift my body up and attempt to distract the reality bender on the off-chance my assumption is wrong and he did notice my movements. After flipping my sword counter clockwise by loosing my grip, I grab it and coat the blade in solid ice, turning it into a pseudo-icicle that I prop above my right shoulder and ready to toss at the reality bender.

I narrow my eyebrows and try and look through the lightning bolts, thinking about just what part of the alien's "body" I would strike, even if it was very likely that my attack would be dodged with how long it was taking me to focus. After five more seconds, I just said to myself "Screw it" and threw the icicle-covered sword of mine straight through the air like a gilded lance. With my body leaned forward I could only rely on the mental connection with my blade to know where it was going. When it fails to connect with anything silky and I hear an impact with a solid wall amidst the crash of thunder, I pull my head up and see that my sword has struck the wall that exists at the illusionary end of the vortex, the ice having broken off and fallen to the ground one chunk at a time.

Mr. Reality has risen higher up, smiling towards me after turning his head away from my blade. But I met his grin with one of my own, subtly alerting him of the ulterior motive behind my attack and getting him to widen his eye and remove his smug expression long enough to look down and see the glowing, magma crack spread across the floor. With the fire mixing in perfectly with the rock, I snap my right fingers and cause the mixture to erupt out of the ground in a perfectly cylindrical pillar. As it rises high into the air ready to consume the alien whole, he is forced to move his lips in a furious panic, creating a sphere of energy around his body that the magma wraps around and solidifies into a dark brown, crispy layer.

The rest of the magma sinks back towards the ground as the distortion in the area finally dies down due to Mr. Reality breaking all of his focus to deal with his current problem. The lightning bolts also fizzle out of existence as we return to the real battlefield. As I take a moment to call my sword into the grasp of my right hand and swing it beside me, the dried up cracks in the surface of solid magma begin to fracture, glowing neon energy seeping through them until the fragments are scattered across the room in one fantastic explosion, many of them cracking upon impacting with either the ceiling or walls as the reality bender has his right hand swung out beside him.

As I take a couple chunks of rock hard magma to the face and barely flinch, I watch as Mr. Reality curls three of his fingers into his glove and takes the remaining ones out in front of his body, pointing at me as the broken energy from his shield twirls towards the tips and condenses into a more spherical form. With a single thrust of the glove upwards the energy is fired out in the form of two intertwining beams of neon energy, which spirals every closer like a cylindrical drill until it gets close enough for me to dodge it at the last second by ducking under it. As my body laid close to the ground I failed to hear the beam's impact behind me and immediately grew suspicious. After I lifted back up and turned my head slightly my suspicions were confirmed as I was suddenly grabbed from behind by the energy, which had spread out to become a hand that is pulled back by a tug of the reality bender's pinched right fingers.

When I'm close to him the alien flings his left fist out infused with energy, which I defend against by recovering from being grabbed and holding my sword with one palm leaning against the dull side near the tip to brace myself as the fist collides with the center of my blade and the glowing fist behind me disappears. After breaking through the attack by stamping the air with my foot to summon a lightning bolt that smites the reality bender and forces him to back away as smoke seeps out of his singed helmet and cloak. With my body freed I waste no time in taking my sword and raising it above my head, bringing it down like a fervent axe to try and break through the glass helmet and expose the alien to the planet's toxic air.

However, once again the alien feverishly moves his lips around and bends reality, making it so my attack is stopped in place by a glowing wall of energy. But this guard only lasts for a moment as I increase the ferocity of my flames and burns into the surface of the wall, melting it apart to the point that a pull back of my blade and the ensuing collision of it afterwards breaks the defense in two and causes the halves to crumble into nothingness and neon dust as I lean my head forward with my eyes flaring rampantly with determination and my glare piercing straight into the panicking Mr. Reality's face. With my sword held lightly at my side, the alien is only given a moment's reprieve to retreat and try to strike me with another attack.

With his left hand held back he stretches his right one out and increases its size tenfold, hoping to grab me and restrain me with all of his might. Those hopes would soon be dashed though, as I pound the ground with the sharp side of my blade and create a lashing wave of fire, electricity and wind that flies forward and slams into the palm of the glove, igniting it across the entirety of its surface and forcing it to retract so the reality bender could dispel the flames with but a few words. With his concern becoming more prominent, Mr. Reality leaps into the air above me and throws his hands down, spinning them rapidly around me and creating a centrifugal motion that drags my body into it and spins it around violently against its will.

Feeling as though I was being bombarded against the sides of a blender with each passing second, I try to brace myself as friction and momentum keeps the hands spinning and work on creating a counter force with a simple concentration of my mind towards the center of the two hand's movements. With a release of my thoughts a burst of air breaks through the force around me and pushes the hands outside, freeing me and leaving the reality bender stunned and frozen in place as his hands swing through the air to return to his cloak. As he floats in place I take my sword out beside me, panting visibly before I sudden charge forward and swing my sword above my head.

Without much pause in my motions I bring the flaming blade down across Mr. Reality's body diagonally, creating a visible, melted gash through his helmet and burning through parts of his cloak before his body is swung against the window in front of me and he falls to the ground "stomach" first. After being battered by my attacks, the reality bender slowly lifts his body up and violently gasps for air as he tries to work his powers towards fixing the damage to his helmet and body. As the tear in the glass is sealed tightly and his breathing becomes less erratic, I land on the ground in front of him and glare down at him condescendingly, my sword still held at my side as the alien stares up at me and says with hit teeth grit in anger "How dare you! How dare you stare at me with those eyes after all that you've done!"

With a raise of the eyebrow, I tilt my head slightly and say to the reality bender "Its not so fun when you are the one who has been rendered helpless, is it now? You know, I am surprised that you were still able to use some of your reality bending powers, but you can't do too much with them without giving me enough time to pull out the Time Stone. To be honest, I didn't expect to beat you so easily after all this, but I guess I have no right to complain about the length of our fight." After mocking Mr. Reality for his weakness, the alien pounds his right fist against the ground, showing the will to fight as he tears his head away from the ground and scowls with his eye twitching in fury.

"This battle isn't over yet you arrogant miscreant! I refuse to let you win this game!" With his bravado being responded to with but a single scoff from my mouth, I twirl my eyes around and kneel downward, leaning forward as I dig into my left pocket and pull the Time Stone right out, holding the object in front of the alien's face for but a few seconds until his prying hand makes me retract my limb and chuckle at how desperate the reality bender is to stop me now. "Face it, its over no matter which way you paint it. You can't do anything to stop the Time Stone, and without your stronger reality bending feats I am definitely more powerful than you. Hell, I didn't even need to use my forms to beat you."

"You bullheaded human!" The alien blurts out to me in vain anger, his blood pressure rising as indicated by the reddish glow in his face as he looks straight at me and says with furious disbelief in his voice "Do you not understand what you are messing with there? That Time Stone of yours is a volatile relic! You need to discard it right now before its too late!" Though there was a hint of a warning via the tone he took against me, I merely looked past it and raised my eyebrow in surprise over the excuses Mr. Reality was trying to make to get me to remove my advantage. "You take me for a fool? I won't give you a chance to restart your game. Especially after everything that everyone has had to suffer through…"

I lift my body up, turning my head around to get a full view of the monochrome effect that has plagued the citadel and upon bending my head downward I grinned and came up with an interesting notion. As I kept my right arm beside me while raising my left one high into the air, I said to the reality bender as I slanted my eyebrows downward "Speaking of which, I worked hard to remove the Midnight Channel from this world, and with one whim the Time Stone will wipe out the last trace of it from the citadel. You've lost, Mr. Reality." As I closed my eyelids and prepared to concentrate on the Time Stone, the reality bender spoke quickly and I ended up thrusting my eyelids back open as a sharp pain creases across my left wrist.

Looking up to the source of pain, I see a golden chain wrapping around, squeezing itself tightly to try and apply pressure to the muscles and force my fingers to unravel around the stone. The reality bender keeps his right glove floating as far as he can above the air as I look down at him, and with some grunts intertwined in his voice he says to me "I refuse to let you use that! Do you not understand the consequences of your own incessant behavior?! Upon seeing that wretched stone, I remembered more details about the previous cycle…And if you use that Time Stone now, you'll doom everyone you know and love! I know I've said and done many things up until this point, but I'm begging you now young Overlord…DON'T DO IT!"

The alien's desperation was pitiful, and as he cried out to me to avoid using the Time Stone I refused to ever listen to anything he had to say. He was a villain through and through, the "Taking upon that role for the game" excuse be damned. Without much of a care for his plight I tugged on the chain wrapped around my armor, each link breaking apart with ease due to their strength being relevant to that of its user. With the chain broken into pieces that fall to the ground with light sounding chinks, I grasp the stone in front of my chest and release a pale light throughout the room. Within seconds the monochrome color scheme vanishes from the room, as an eerie silence fills the area and the reality bender raises his twitching left hand one last time in desperation as the flash fades into my stone.

"Why…Why did you do this?" The alien's voice cracks and slips into a state of disbelieving madness, and as I looked down at him his pupil shrinks immensely as he goes insane and begins laughing like a madman. With his hands resting flat against the ground he bends his head forward slightly, saying between his crackling laughter "We are all dead now…It will all happen again…" And then things started to get weird. Without warning, Mr. Reality's body began to spasm, his cloak twisting back and forth across the air as he floated higher upwards against his will, his hands reaching for the crease in his helmet and digging through to choke him. His eye bulges outward, his body thinning entirely until the line convulses back and forth and explodes into a series of dark speckles that floats upward and seeps into the ceiling cracks above.

With silence returning to the area I couldn't help but blink in bewilderment at what just unfolded before my eyes. Was Mr. Reality truly dead, or merely taken away by an outside force? Either way, his ominous final words struck a cord inside of my heart as I took the Time Stone and placed it into my left pocket. As I began to loom on the issue, I heard a voice calling to me in my right eardrum. _"Mew…Mew…Are you still alive up there?" _It was Alpha, whose tired yet concerned voice brought some relief to my troubled heart. There was a bit of crackling in the background, but I chalked it up to the fires of the Commander's battleship beating behind him.

"Yeah…Yeah…I managed to defeat Mr. Reality…What about you guys? I saw the battleship crash, but if you made it out then I would assume that-" _"No need to finish there Mew. Yeah, everyone managed to survive, though its a miracle as to how that happened…After the laser blew a hole in our ship, a light-blue flash of light came out of nowhere, and the next thing I knew me and all of my crewmates were on the ground completely unharmed. As for everyone else, well, they made it through the Heartless safe and sound, and now we are just-Bzztt- zzzzzzzzzz" _Alpha begins to break up on the outside, and though he was still speaking he was blocked out by an array of static.

"Alpha?" I said out of concern and confusion, and as I turned my head slightly to the right I heard a mighty roar coming from the outdoors. It was violent and otherworldly sounding, and within seconds the glass window in front of me shattered and my skin nearly became bombarded with its shards before I leaped backwards to avoid them. As I bent and leaned my body forward slightly I looked on in utter shock as the sky quickly became filled with pure black clouds, and lightning bolts began to rain down at a rapid pace. Their pale white form was surrounded by a ghastly neon aura not unlike that of the attacks Mr. Reality threw my way. As I regained my balance and ran forward to look past the edge of the windowsill I was horrified by what I was witnessing.

As each lightning bolt struck the ground, large portions of the ground were instantly erased from existence. There was no process so to speak, it was just as simple and quick as blinking one's eyelids. The vast holes in the ground, at first few in number, quickly multiplied much to my shock and disbelief. As I focused for what seemed like an eternity on this desolating spectacle, Alpha reconnected on the communicator and called out to me in nervous horror _"M-Mew! What the hell is that on the citadel's rooftop?! And what is going on with this sudden storm?!"_ As soon as Alpha mentioned something appearing on the rooftop, another roar struck out across the air, rupturing it permanently as the building trembled in fear of the sounds it heard.

With one quick hand placed on my right ear lobe as I tried to regain my balance, I said to Alpha "Just calm down and try to avoid the bolts for now. I'll go and investigate the roof!" I then leaped out of the window, taking flight with urgency and curving upward until the rooftops were in side. I was surprised by the size of it, which vastly rivaled the area of two football stadiums. However, my surprise towards that was quickly focused towards the being standing atop the roof. As lightning bolts blasted the pristine surface and tore it out of existence only for the holes to be sealed in with pure light every time they were removed, the being noticed my presence and raises its head to glare at me with its ethereal dark red eyes.

It was a dragon, but not one that had a natural appearance like one would expect it to have. Its pitch black body had an oval-like shape to it, and it was devoid of any legs at the bottom of its ghastly, glowing, grey-green underside. There were still four five-pronged, scaly yet spiked claws standing on the ground detached from the rest of the body, and the head shared the same feature of gravity defiance as it was devoid of any neck. Speaking of the head, it shared the long, venomous fangs of a basilisk while the structure of the head itself looked similar to that of a komodo dragon's. As the beast stares at me with its bleak eyes it spreads its mouth open wide and reveals three rows of fangs teeth behind his two snaky fangs while his prehensile tongue drips acidic saliva onto the ground below, his back splits apart at the skin, revealing three pairs of wings that each have a rather thin, devilish brown membrane to them that pulsates rapidly with glowing energy as a roar breaks through the back of the beast's esophagus.

As the sound waves from its roar ruffles my body hairs and starts to cause my heart to beat rapidly in an unknown sensation of fear, I look down at the beast as it lowers its wings and bends its head down without caring anymore about my presence and at that point I realize something right away just because of its lack of legs. "Could this be…Mr. Reality?" There were many questions to be asked just from my unpleasant observation, but I couldn't spent any time answering them as I looked down at the beast that was once a sentient alien and knew that he was the source of the rampant destruction and slow erasure of the planet around me. With my blade held diagonally out in front of me and my body continuing to float in mid-air, an abject feeling of fear crept into my mind and made me say with a certain amount of timidity… "What am I supposed to do about this?"

_Next Time: All Shall En_


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41: Reality Avatar I: When What He Has is Not Enough**

"_M -bzzzzzt- ew, can you he -bzzt- r me at -bzzzt- all?" _Alpha's distorted voice calls to me from my right eardrum as I look down at the beast below and think about how I should approach it. "Y-Yeah, but you are starting to fade out there…" With a stutter derived entirely from my fear, I responded to the Goomba, and immediately hear a melancholy sigh. _"Yeah, well be thankful I haven't been wiped from existence yet…I can see the light of your blade above the citadel, so I'm guessing you've gotten a good look at the beast…What do you see?" _Alpha sounded really stressed out for once in his life, and as I worried about his and the other's condition down below I say to him to answer his question "Its Mr. Reality."

Following my own disbelieving tone with a nervous breath and a slight twist of the head towards the disarrayed town below, I see a couple of lightning bolts strike some hapless Toads that were trying to escape the slowly erasing city, and watch in horror as without any difficult the populace was wiped from existence with not even a ring of ashes remaining of their body. With a cold sweat dripping down my forehead, I try to shake off the sadness and empathy I share with the Toads so I can keep myself composed long enough to continue speaking to Alpha. Though with how long my pause was, the Commander was the first to continue the conversation.

"…_I don't even want to know why he suddenly became this beast, especially since we are too busy trying to evacuate the citizens to 'safety'." _Alpha put a rather gloomy emphasis on the last word in his sentence, which led to me raising my eyebrows in concern and asking him "What do you mean by that?" _"Sigh…Look kid, I'm not going to explain this to you lightly. Truth be told, after a quick connection to whatever remains of the M.S.I. base, I learned that the entire planet has been inflicted by this storm. Think something along the lines of what the Dark King did before, but on a much more lethal scale. Either way, there really is no way to save everyone considering how random these lightning bolts have been, and well…."_

Alpha takes a pause, lets out another stressful sigh, and finishes his sentence off as his voice becomes distorted by some lightning bolts striking the area around him _"Mew, if you don't stop this beast quickly, we could be facing a Class Z apocalypse on a planetary scale here. Do you understand what this means? That means the absolute, definitive erasure of this planet's existence from the universe along with everyone who was on it, including, most likely, you. I know I'm putting a lot of pressure on you by mentioning this, but there really is no way to make this sound any lighter than it actually is. So…Get to work Mew, you got a planet's existence to save."_

With Alpha shutting off all communications to give me time to focus on the battle ahead of me, I nervously lower my left arm down from the side of my head and laugh to try and calm myself down. "Hehehe…Yeah, not a problem at all…Just have to defeat a beast whose mere presence is erasing Plit from reality." After I raise my twitching right arm so the blade of my sword is held diagonally in front of my chest, I smirk while hiding my fear as much as I mentally could. "No problem…" I say with my words fading into a whisper and my expression becoming somber as I looked down at the beast, who continues to pay no attention to my presence.

"No, snap out of it Mew. You have a whole planet's worth of people counting on you to win this. You have to take their fear along with your own and turn it into motivation to stop this beast before he ravages the whole planet into non-existence…" I said to get myself more focused on this battle. I can't be allowed to let fear control me after all, for the moment I do I may as well just lay on the floor and wait to be erased. I couldn't even think about what would happen to one who was erased entirely from existence, both physically and spiritually, even though I had my own views to share on it. "Perhaps another day then…" As I swing my sword out beside me to disperse the flames in a thin, arc-like trail, I say in brash determination "Time to exterminate this beast…"

With a quick brandishing of my blade in front of my chest, I move all of my fingers so they are positioned into the rings of the triggers on my weapon's handle. As I prepare to pull them, I incite a creed to enhance the process that will imbue me with the combined power of the seven elements. "In the darkest of hours, at the crest of mortal depression, I shall be the savior that flies down from the lone morning sun. With wings of golden glory, with flames of molten purity, and my elemental powers wielded in the name of peace…I will be the one to protect the innocent beings of the universe, even if that means protecting them from themselves. Even with the appearance befitting that of a god, I am but a mortal through and through…So with the prayers of the people buried in my heart, I am ready to let loose the flames of the immortal protector…Trigger: Phoenix Form!"

In seconds my body becomes wrapped in illuminated, golden flames. I feel no heat exuding around them, for my nerves have been inflicted with an intoxicatingly peaceful chill that reaches down into my soul as the flames rise over my shoulders and wrap around my back and waist. My vision is taken away for a moment as that very fire bursts through my eyes and mouth. I feel no pain at all from any of this, and the transformation process takes but only ten seconds to complete. When it is done the wreath of flames around my body disperses with one wide sweep of my sword, leaving me with golden, amber-like eyes and a pain of Phoenix wings attached to my shoulder blades. The flames around my blade have grown brighter, and they illuminate outward like a newborn star.

I could only assume that the citizens saw hope in the light of my flames, and those thoughts were enough to purify my doubts and renew my focus on the battle ahead of me. "Come on then!" I yell out in determined fury, swinging my sword about in front of me to coat the air around my body in a thin, flaming aura before I charge forth at the head of the beast and bring my sword down quickly towards his scalp. When my attack collides with his black, scaly skin a flaming shockwave reverberates across the air at a width of fifty feet, but the hard sound brought on by the impact signifies that my sword is incapable of breaking through the beast's skin.

As I press my sword against the skin for a few more seconds just to make sure that I'm not mistaken about my prior assessment, the beast growls in annoyance and slowly lifts its head upward. In a matter of seconds I pull myself backwards only to find the serpentine eyes glaring straight at me, an unholy glow following its callous stare that pierces into my soul and forces me to hear the ghoulish cries of the millions souls of the damned. I flinched briefly, the grip on my sword loosening by a centimeter before I regain control of myself and the screams come to an end. However, the beast has now taken interest in me now that I struck him, as evidence by his widening mouth and the pale red and black energy pulsating between the roof of his mouth and his tongue.

"Shit!" I blurted out as I grit my teeth and flew back out of the range of the front of his mouth, as I sensed the energy being built up into that beam would prove to be more than enough to incinerate a small planet. The beast tried to turn his head to the right to follow me, but could only move so far before he became stuck in one place and forced to fire his mighty energy spread through the air. The size of the attack dwarfed the citadel itself in width, and broke through the sky at such a rapid pace that it was hard to believe that I even managed to catch a glimpse of it with a slight turn of the head. As the crimson glow was reflected off of my irises, I trembled slightly in disbelief before turning my head towards the side of the beast and increasing my speed in order to have enough time to strike him before he can react.

I deliver a powerful crescent slash against the side of his body, continuing through the air quickly enough that the flaming scar across the air is still there as I flip my body around and go back for another attack right above the previous one. Upon reaching what would be the neck of the beast, I see that its head is still in the same position and choose to flip my body around so my back is pointed at the ground. With a quick tug of my weapon the flames pull away from the blade, floating beside me like ammunition for a grenade launcher as they convert their forms into that of orbs embodying each of the seven elements.

From grass to fire each orb launches out and impacts with the underside of the beast's jaw, exploding in a fantastic way befitting their element. As I fly out from under the beast's mouth and the smoke from my attacks rises out around him, the head turns towards me and collides straight with my body, flinging me across the air the moment he stops moving until I break my unintended flight with a kick of my legs behind me. As an acidic smoke made of darkness seeps out of my chest and arms, my eyelids sink down slightly as I look out and see that none of my attacks have managed to do anything but be a nuisance to the beast.

"You have got to be kidding me…" To be honest, I was both infuriated and surprised by the beast's durability, especially considering how weak Mr. Reality normally was minus his powers. As the smoke left my body I held my sword out and charged forth once more, breaking the air around me due to how fast I propelled myself forward. Instead of attacking with my sword I folded my left arm behind my head, twisting my body in that direction as I neared the beast. With only an inch away I swung forward like a speeding bullet, the velocity of my flight adding strength to my blow as it collides head on with the beast and releases a powerful sound wave that sounds similar to that of a megaton detonation.

The beast's head is actually forcibly swung to the left by my attack, clearing my flight path forward as I proceed to leave the creature behind and continue forward for but a few more seconds until I start curving upwards to slow myself down. A quick spin leaves me positioned above the beast as my wings flap slowly and I wave my hand around due to how sore my knuckles had become from delivering that punch. Of course, my joy turned to sorrow not a moment later as the beast's head twists itself around in a circle and repositions itself straight ahead of its body, and there were no signs of fatigue as it reared its face up high and let out another ghastly roar.

The moment the beast's facial features spread outward I sense something amiss in the air besides me and instantly move to the left in order to dodge a lightning bolt that tried to smite me from the darkened clouds. It was but one of many bolts though, and the process of swerving between their random drops was only helped by my connection to the air around me, even if it had become distorted by the beast's existence. It really put me on edge knowing that this lightning was something I couldn't guard against, since one wrong move would leave me without a weapon or an existence.

As I turned and flew on my back to better gauge when the bolts would come down, I made certain to be careful of running into the beast as it raises its wings into the air to try and slow me down. I weave around the membranes, making it to the right side of the beast as a strange smog is pumped out through the bloodstream of the wings. This smog didn't share any recognizable traits with the toxins I was familiar with, and with how unpredictable the beast's actions could prove to be all I could really do was stay clear of the cloud as I continued to engage the monster in combat. With the black cloud of smog homing in and moving towards me, I kicked the ground mid-flight and rocketed upwards, re-igniting my blade after so long as I stared up into the sky and with my arms at length with my sides I moved left and right to dodge the lightning bolts that fell down to smite me away.

When I reached the height I wanted to I stopped in place and brought my sword in front of me, gripping the handle in both hands and raising it high above me as I channeled the hottest flames I could muster in the clutch of my blade and looked down at the beast, who paid no attention to my movements as the cloud it releases rises upwards towards me, a pale, heartbeat like light radiating inside of it all of a sudden as I cleave the air downward, releasing the flames in the form of a wave as long as the beast's body while letting out a ferocious roar. The wave travels downwards, and I hold my body in place while panting lightly due to how much effort it took to release those flames.

As it moves towards the smog, I am suddenly struck with a foreboding feeling of discomfort in my head and stomach, which causes me to lift my eyes up to look away from everything happening below as my pupils shrink and I sense a grim presence residing in the rising cloud. It was far too late to do anything to stop the inevitable though, and as my attack passed into the cloud I immediately lose focus on everything around me as I hear an echoing scratch inside of my own head. A feeling of pain so powerful that it was if my head as made of glass and was being scratched by a demonic nail shot through my brain, ricocheting across the nervous system as goosebumps rose up across my skin and I pounded my hands against the sides of my head to try and get the pain to stop while I leaned forward slightly and heard many different screams blended together in an unholy fashion.

By the time the pain had ended, blood slowly trickles out of my left nostril and I find it difficult to even raise my head up, only doing so because I could sense the cloud edging ever closer through the air and wished to return my focus towards it even though my vision became blurred from that nightmarish spectacle. My flame wave had vanished, having seemingly been absorbed into the cloud as the light inside it left without a trace. As I leaned my head back and bit my lower lip I thought of only one logical explanation for what just happened. The cloud took advantage of my mental link to my elemental attacks and used it to attack my mind from within as it caressed the flames in its confines.

"Ok, so avoid the cloud…Not a problem now that I know what it does…" I recover from my brief period of pain and with a wobbling right arm I take my sword in hand and fly backwards a few feet before flipping my body upside-down and kicking against the air to bomb past the cloud of smog and make it closer to the beast. I throw a wave of flame out towards the head to hopefully grab its attention once more, but the impact does nothing more than make the beast wag its head around as if it had an itch to scratch. Since attacks on the scaly skin weren't doing me much good, I decided to swoop down and go for the glowing belly of the beast.

After making it so my own belly was level with the pristine floor below and after swerving left and right to dodge the lightning bolts that attempted to fry me out of existence, I swung myself around in a 180 degree circle and looked up at the ghastly underside of the beast. With blade in hand I swung it out back and forth in a sweeping motion, twisting my body occasionally to keep up with the momentum of my blows as I cut across the gut and left burning gashes in the flesh. However, as the flames burn through the glowing skin, a ghoulish cry bursts through the seams of flesh and signals the advent of a million miniature yet skeletal hands breaking through the cracks I created.

They fly out in a swarm towards me, and as I raise my head in fear at their sight I position myself upward and use my blade to try and break the hands that flew my way. But as the blade passed through their form and continued towards me unabated my eyes widened in panic due to how quickly I came to realize that there was nothing I could do to stop them. They gathered around my body, crawling along my skin and into my orifices nice and slowly as their slimy coating seeps into my pores and numbs my nerves. In a matter of seconds, I can't feel anything but the cold grasp of death and fear, and only my eyes remaining untouched by their violating fingers simply so I can see where they are dragging my body off to.

I see the ground in a matter of seconds, and is gets farther and father away from me as I begin to get wrapped up by a impious mound of ghastly flesh, the hands slowly pouring themselves out of my orifices while dragging out whatever bodily fluids they can to exhaust me and make it harder for me to resist the assimilation into the beast's massive gut. My eyelids begin to grow limp, and having long lost the ability to feel my sword I have no idea if its still there or not. I have nothing but this nausea and grief plaguing my body to comfort me as I'm dragged further in. And even those were fleeting emotions, for I was constantly reminded of what would be lost in the outside world by my defeat here today. All those poor people relying on me to be their savior, and they can't even be freed by the cold grasp of death simply because of the fact that they were not even going to exist in the afterlife once this beast was through with their planet.

As I slowly closed my eyelids and began to accept the inevitability of my own demise, a tearful voice echoed inside of my own memories. _"Please Mew, I…I just don't want you to die…I don't know what I would do if I lost you too."_ It was Driad, whose voice acted as a reminder to me of what **I** would end up losing if I surrendered right here and now. "That's right…I made a promise to Driad to make it back alive. I can't go back on it, not after he has lost so much already!" With a brave, echoing thought to refuel my lost determination I thrust my eyelids open and began to increase the heat around me to inhuman levels. With an aura flaring up the likes of which I never unleashed, the flames wreathed around me to the point that my entire body glowed a bright, golden color.

The skeletal hands all but disintegrated in the presence of my pristine aura, and I burned through the flesh as if it was nothing more than paper. With a big gaping hole giving me an escape, I regained the ability to feel my surroundings and immediately held my blade diagonally beside my right shoulder as I charged forth out of the regenerating gut as a rain of ectoplasm fell down around me and splattered against the ground into the form of a gooey puddle. I swooped out from under the beast's head as the creature lifted it up high and roared in pain from my previous endeavor. While the beast cried out I lifted my glowing body into the air, taking all the flames from my aura and pouring them into the blade of my sword.

The flames extend out far beyond the length of the blade, where they become a pillar shaped beacon of golden hope that cracks through the clouds above as I slowly reel my sword behind my head and widen my eyes furiously. "I won't let you take away everyone I know and love you gruesome abomination! With the hopes of the populace along with my determination filling this blade, THIS WILL END YOU!" I begin to swing my sword across the air, cutting a descending crescent arch into the clouds before the tip of the flames falls forward and moves towards the beast. With a mighty roar I complete the swing of my blade in front of me, the glowing of the flames nearly blinding me as I release them in a mighty burst of solar level energies.

The cascading wave cuts through the air until it reaches the beast itself, at which point the flames travel along top the head and back of it and causing the beast to freeze momentarily in place as the fire scorches its body slowly. As the flames combined together in place so they become pillars of energy above the beast, they all suddenly explode and shroud the place whole in a plume of smoke. Panting heavily after unleashing that attack, I stare towards the smoke with a bit of a smirk on my face and a laugh slipping through my lips, with my sword still held adjacent to my body and a cold sweat dripping across the entirety of my skin.

"Got him…" I had full confidence in what I said, and for a time there were hints that my attack had actually vanquished the beast. The lightning bolts had stopped, and the atmosphere didn't feel as thick with despair as it did long ago. However, as a lucid, piercing red glow shined through the smoke a single, gaping roar unleashed enough wind to blow the smoke aside and reveal a nearly unharmed beast behind it. The only thing I managed to do with what I felt was my strongest attack was creating a glowing red gash alongside the targeted skin of his body, and that very glow faded away as the skin regenerated and the beast lowered its head back down to glare at me with a hungered sense of intrigue beaming out from his pupils.

It was now truly interested in me. It no longer saw me as just a mosquito biting away at his skin, but rather a mild threat to its existence that could no longer be ignored. With a furious, air rupturing roar, the beast swung its wings out wide and began to take flight much to my horror. The claws trailed close to its body without the restraint of limbs to keep them at their current distance. The beast flew at me quickly, grabbing me with its upper left claw and holding me in tight by wrapping the sharp points of the claws themselves into my backside, a scream of pain going through my lips as the crushing weight of his grip pushes blood through my body.

The creature holds me up in front of his face and opens its mouth up wide, the moisture from its salivating growl flying through the air and onto my face as he prepares to bring me inward and devour me through the mouth this time. As the three rows of teeth begin to lower, and the agonizing grip of fear begins to crawl into my punctured backside I work quickly to try and escape the grasp of the beast. First, I spread ice out from the puncture wounds in my body to make the claws easy to break off of me with but a thrust of my back muscles. Then I coat the rest of my body in ice to make myself slick and thus capable of slipping right out of the beast's claw.

Once I have flown out of the mouth the moment it chomps down, I heat myself up to regain my flaming aura and draw my sword back into my right hand, my backside still throbbing in pain from being punctured yet my face refused to flinch even once from what I was experiencing. The beast put me back in its sight, the acidic saliva that I was thankful didn't touch me dripping from the crease of his lips as he growls hungrily and opens his mouth to let out a blood curling screech. Without warning, the colors around me suddenly break apart like glass, my eyes widen subconsciously as I could feel the life seeping out of my body and my determination breaking in the face of utter despair.

My heart beats like a steady drum, my brain succumbing to epilepsy as the world around me seizures entirely out of control and deprives me of any rationality. I can't tell what anything is anymore besides the fear in my heart and the pressure of the air around me. I was mortified by what I felt and saw, the convulsing of my mind leading me to vomit uncontrollably through the mouth while I lost the grip on my sword and my hands were magnetically drawn to the sides of my head. I kneeled down, my mind praying for liberation from the pain. And to answer my cry, the beast finally shut its own mouth and the distortion of the world ended around me.

I was still stuck in the pose the beast's roar left me in, but I was finally able to muster up some rationality and pull my head up slowly. My brain still beat in pain, and though my vision was blurry I was able to see the beast staying motionless in front of me. It was rather unnerving to see him there after everything else, and despite the numbing of my muscles I drew my sword back into my right hand and slowly lifted my body upward. Though my muscles were numb and my body was damaged greatly by everything that has happened so far, I knew I was obligated to continue the fight against this creature no matter how far he drove me towards the jaws of death.

…But truly, the beast did not take into consideration such thoughts of mine, and without warning I am suddenly cut deep across my chest at three different points diagonally. My shirt is cut through along with my skin, and an indescribable amount of blood gushes out through the wounds left by the scratching of the beast's claws. The blade of my sword is broken in two by his attack as well, and with my body slowly slipping unconscious while my eyes twitch in disbelief I fall down with my back pointed at the ground. The blood trickles in the air above as its released slowly from my body, and my limping arms rise upwards for but a few seconds as I lose the grip on my sword and the two pieces fall down to the left of me.

I fall against the front most roof of the citadel, feeling nothing but the blood of puddle I am now resting on. The wounds are slowly being healed by whatever energy remains in my Phoenix form, just to ensure that I do not die here and now. But it didn't matter…With how much blood was lost from my body, even if I tried to go back into battle I would be in no condition to do much of anything. Not to mention the fact that my sword was broken in two, leaving me with no weapon to defend myself with. The Time Stone rolled out of my left pocket, but miraculously did not get tainted by the blood that was slowly drying up around my figure. With my arms and legs laid out beside me like a rag doll, I could do nothing but stare up into the dismal, darkened sky as lightning bolts rained down all-around and continued to erase the planet from existence. The beast that I tried so hard to defeat crashed on the ground a fair distance away from me, its snarling head gazing down upon me…It was a nightmare of the grandest design…And I would know that simply because I have experienced this exact moment….Once before…

_Next Time: …._


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42: Reality Avatar Final: Though Hope is Found, The Worst Has Yet To Be Seen**

…To think that I would be revisiting this scenario, but this time I would be facing it in real life instead of in the world of dreams and nightmares. I thought about things for a moment to make sure that everything matched up correctly. I was on my back, battered and broken with blood having spilled from my body. The black beast was standing above me, drooling in wait to devour me whole. My sword was broken beside me, and the world was collapsing into non-existence. I blinked, the opening and shutting of my eyelids taking five seconds total as I said in my mind "So Mr. Reality was wrong…He wasn't responsible for the game being reset…"

As I crested the Time Stone into the grasp of my left fingers, I cared not about the acidic drool dripping on the ground around me and the lightning bolts tearing apart reality. With a deep breath, I explained to myself what my observations had revealed. "Everything did happen before up until this point…And either I used the Time Stone to restart everything because I didn't believe I could win, or the Time Stone did the job itself to give me a second chance to save everyone. "_With the acceptance of your identity, you have taken a major step forward in averting the events that had transpired once before"_ What the Elemental Overlord's spirit said to me echoed in my mind, reminding me of the hint he gave that proved my observation correct.

"And because Mr. Reality and I were in close proximity with the stone, we retained some memories of the last moments of the game…The dream world…A portal to both the past and the present, is it not?" As I turn and look up at the beast, I am surprised to see it retract its head and leap into the air. With a graceful flight and a turn of its body it returns to the top of the roof where it had been perched once before, caring not about my condition since I was in no state to fight back against him. I released the grip on the Time Stone and let it fall back onto the ground beside me. With a weak twist of the head I saw the blood that was dripping between my fingers like miniature streams, which made me wonder just how thick the puddle was below my body.

"How can I even still be alive?" I asked myself as I closed my eyelids and let out a melancholy release of air through my nostrils. The moment I do so though, I cough and hack up blood through the mouth. Some of it lands on my shirt, and the rest of it drips across my flattened chin. "Heh, not like it matters much…I'll either die here or be wiped from existence…Either way, this battle has ended in failure…" Despite how depressing this all sounded, my tone was rather calm and accepting. But after a few more seconds of thinking, I turned my head with all of my might and looked at the Time Stone, struggling to push my hand forward in order to grab it once more.

"Perhaps…Perhaps it would be for the best if I started the game over again…Hope that more memories will reverberate through those dreams and make me realize that this scenario could all be avoided…" As I began to seriously consider going through with this plan of mine, my hand froze in place and limped down onto the pool of blood. "…No…I can't do it." To go through with it would be hypocritical, especially after the thoughts I expressed on why Mr. Reality resetting things would be morally wrong. "Everyone having to suffer all over again…Just because of an assumption that things will go right the next time?"

I scowled at my own stupidity, laughing calmly at myself as I tried to lift my head up with all of my might and closed my eyelids tightly, thinking as a warm sensation passed through my chest "What kind of person was I in the last cycle if I so willingly restarted things? …I'm sorry, but I'm not going to do it again right now…" With a push that defied the broken confines of my body, I bended my elbows against the ground and started to lift myself up. The strain on my muscles was enormous, and I could literally feel the tendons tearing apart in the upper part of my arms as I continued to press my weight down on top of the elbows. I flinched, but continued pressing on against the pain even if it would kill me to do so.

"I have too much to fight for…" I lifted my head up halfway, glaring into the darkened sky and seeing reflections of Driad, Mario and Luigi's smiling faces beaming down upon me as I grit my teeth and my left eyelid shut halfway. A cold sweat dripped down my face as those images faded away, and I once again said out loud "People have died for me to reach this point in time once more…" I thrust my head forward in one hard motion, seeing the front of the citadel's command room in front of me as the Master and Toadsworth's faces are implanted against the wall, their eyelids sealed tight to represent their fallen bodies. I curled my fingers into the shape of a fist and lightly pounded the ground to provide me with some support as my back was pulled straight up and my head leaned forward with a cough of blood breaking through my agape mouth.

As a couple drops of sweat trickled around the rim of my lips I took in some air and released heavy breaths. My heart was beating fast as it was barely able to keep the blood flowing, but I cared not about what my body was feeling. It was what my soul was saying that fueled my decision here, and I was never going to betray it until the day it was obliterated from existence. With my left hand clenched against my chest, I bended my knees upward and began to work on standing up as I swung my right hand out beside me and reached for the handle of my broken sword.

"I don't need it to be complete to keep on fighting…My main weapon has always been my indomitable spirit fueled by the promises I have sworn to keep." As I picked the broken handle up, a warm wind begins to pass around my body, heralding in a circular, glowing white gust that swings from the center of my backside to the front of my body to create a perfect ring of energy below my body. I focus not on the light as I begin to stand up, my body somehow managing to keep my weight from forcing me onto my back once more. I let out a light grunt as I kneel forward and keep myself balanced with my broke sword swung out at my side and the wings on my back laying limply towards the ground.

"S-So what if I'm in no condition to win? I'm not taking the easy way out of this fight by restarting things from the beginning…Even if my body crumbles, I'll keep my soul planted in this world and continue fighting! I will not pass away until I have no more promises to keep! This is how I have chosen to live, and that is why I will continue to defy you even as your tear away at this planet's existence, monster!" As I fiercely spoke with bravado towards the beast, the ring below my feet glowed ever brighter, and from afar I heard the echoes of a calming voice saying to me _"You have been deemed worthy…Phoenix of Rejuvenation…" _Upon hearing this voice my body freezes entirely in place as it is engulfed by the rising gust of light around me. I do not react to the sudden sensation of warmth and renewal that fills me to the very last inch of my soul with anything more than a solemn sealing of my eyelids and a straightening of my own body.

The process is swift, and is I undergo it I feel the weight of my own body melting away into nothingness as a tender sensation slips underneath my right fingers. A new triggers is melded onto the handle of my blade, its glowing form pushing my fingers upward slowly until it fully solidifies. By that point the gust of light departs in multiple directions, leaving my body floating a couple of inches off of the ground with a thin ring of light surrounding me on the ground. I feel strangely renewed, as if I had never been harmed at all by the beast. My body was still covered in light in various places, but it faded away and was replaced with a new set of clothes.

It was a holy warriors garb, with the first thing my eyes went towards being the samurai's chest plate with a mixture of white and black steel built into the structure. The plate was kept on by two metal bands draped over my shoulders, and as I looked up at them I felt something rather fuzzy rubbing against the skin as I moved. It was a beautiful white robe that was tucked underneath the armor and continued out underneath it, only both sides split off halfway at the point below my waist and stretched out beside my hips. My sleeves were kept in place by two metal gauntlets. The part of the gauntlets that were wrapped around the lower part of the my arms was decorated with archaic golden runes on top of a sapphire plate, and those lead into a curved, triangular point above the backside of my hands. Around my waist is a thick, brown leather belt with seven miniatures diamonds encrusted in the center of the same amount of golden rings. All of those rings are kept around the belt by multiple red strings. My pants were made of pure white silk, but instead of having two legs it was one rounded cloth that was merely split at the center in front of me up to the point of my knees. My feet were kept protected by pristine, silver grieves that rode up my leg until they reached the underside of my knees. My sword, which I had long since been familiar with, had changed forms to that of a thickened katana made entirely out of silver diamonds that was still the length of my whole body's height. As I held the blade out horizontally, I looked at the handle and saw that a golden crescent had been placed between the top of my finger and the bottom of the blade, and it curled down until the end point reached below my grip. After seeing my own reflection in the blade, I noticed that my hair remained the same while my eyes had become a ghostly grey color.

With my new form examined in nearly all of its glory, I realized that there was only one thing missing from my appearance. I did not need to turn my head around and look at it though, for all it took was a simple whim to get the feathery, white angelic wings that have now been attached to my back to lift up and spread out wide. A holy glow is released from my entire body, one that is both thin yet bright. As I take my sword down to be held beside my right hip, a holster is suddenly drawn from the light in order to give me something to put and draw the sword from. With the clink of diamond coming from my blade being put away, I lifted my eyebrows in surprise and yet at the same time smile at the convenience of the holster.

I close my eyelids and slowly turn my head back forward, thinking to myself "So that glowing light in the citadel was an energy reserve…" As I thrust my eyelids open and kept my hand rested against the front of my sword's handles and slanted my eyebrows towards the nose, I look up at the beast as it roars upon noticing my renewed body. It was furious at my return, and seemed to take great offense towards my new form as it quickly summoned forth its wings and took flight off of its pedestal. With a light smirk I smoothly moved my fingers towards the handle of my sword and lightly pulled it from the holster. "Whoever said I was worthy of this…Don't worry, I won't let anyone down now!"

With a brave declaration I pulled my body back and got into a samurai's stance, folding my wings together as the beast neared closer. Merely inches away from my face, I leaped into the air as a flash of light, dragging my sword across the air like a gigantic cleaver as the beast stomps on the ground where I once stood and a streak left behind by my sudden flight cuts across the front of his body. As I cut off my own flight suddenly mid-air and spin myself around, the streak disappears and a massive gash is cut through the beast's skin diagonally, light being flushed into the open wound for a few seconds and causing the head to rear up and roar in pain before a green ooze that was likely his blood gushed out of his body and dripped onto the ground.

As the wound was slowly healed up by flesh growing back one molecule at a time, the beast flipped his body around and dismembered its own facial features before it rips its mouth up wide with acidic saliva dripping from his many teeth and he lets out another roar similar to the one that broke my mind once before. With a calm, vertical defensive stance in front of my body I met the tearing of reality with a shield of holy light. As the tear stopped at the front of my mighty shield I break through my own defense by twisting my blade diagonally and swinging it upward towards my head in one fell swipe. As I cut through the tear the power of light flows through the edges and creates a blinding flash through the tear itself, and in a matter of seconds the destroyed space is renewed without any signs of deterioration in the first place.

The beast swings around, slamming its tail against the ground to crack it before it leaps up towards me and opens its mouth up wide ready to blast me with a powerful spread of energy. As the red glow climaxes at the back of his mouth I take my sword and lash it out in front of me horizontally, dragging the palm of my left hand across the blade to transfer light across it. With a few rapid swings after that, I send wave after wave of pure crescent light into the mouth, each one breaking through a different part of the red and black energy sphere and shrinking its form until cracks appear in the surface due to an overload of light energy. The resulting burst hits the roof of the beast's mouth and makes him recoil backwards while roaring in pain.

While his body has been thrust back mid-air, I take my sword and hold it in both hands, bringing the blade's handle beside my right shoulder as I nod once and make the tip of the blade glow with a magnificent, luminescent sparkle. With a lunge of my body I fly forward through the air with my wings alongside my figure, taking my blade towards the vulnerable ghastly gut of the monster and puncturing straight into the center of it. A hole twelve times the size of the glow is immediately burned through the hollow flesh, and the skeletal hands that plagued me once before try in futility to grab me and bring me into their body only for them to disintegrate into nothingness the moment they come in contact with my pale aura.

With an opening provided in the body, I holster my sword momentarily after a quick spin mid-air, and brandish my arm horizontally in front of my chest. With the tip of my gauntlet being fueled by the energies of my illuminated soul, I slant my eyebrows and peer into the gut as it slowly regenerates, and upon finding pure red darkness seeping through the cracks in the swarm of skeletal hands I hold my gauntlet out in front of me and brace the arm by wrapping my left hand around the elbow. With a single cock of the arm to make sure it was in position I fire a thin stream of energy through the innards of the beast.

Everything between the front of me and the backside of the beast is sliced through with incredible ease, and the aura of light surrounding my attack melts a large gap through the skeletal hands until it reaches the unholy, beating heart of the beast and overfills it with the purity of my energy. Much like the energy attack I stopped earlier, the heart begins to crumble under the influence of the light that broke through it for a span of three seconds. As my attack cuts through the back skin of the beast like a sudden bullet that disperses into nothingness, I get a clear look at the decaying heart as the beast falls backwards through the air.

The moment I tilt my head downwards to keep following it while lowering my gauntlet down in front of my waist, the heart collapses in a fiery explosion of darkness that incinerates all the ghoulish hands and covers the remainder of the beast's body in a hollow, black fire. The head remains untouched by the flames, but the eyes curl backwards into the skull as the creature finally falls to the ground with such force that it was any wonder that the crater it made didn't collapse under the beast's weight and send him tumbling into the deepest parts of the citadel. With the mouth agape and its acidic tongue laying on top of the upper row of teeth, I presumed the beast to have been finished off. At the very least, in any other form I would have immediately drawn that conclusion. But with my body imbued with the full purity of light's embrace, I could now see traces of darkness that no one else could perceive, and from a quick glance at the beast's head and burning body I noticed activity in the darkness.

With my body once again on-guard and the flames in the beast's now hollow gut beginning to quiver, I watched carefully as those black flames spread out from within, moving across the skin and spreading out along specific points to fill in where the neck and limbs should be until the claws began to twitch and the skin on the head begins to melt away in the form of an unholy, pitch black ooze that forms a gruesome puddle below the whole body. Without warning and a flash of reality rupturing lightning, the beast had flipped back around and was now on its feet, its body filled to the brim with an aura of black flames as the head had now been replaced with a gigantic, flesh-less decaying skull and the hollow gut housed the spiraling spirits of the damned.

The beast was nothing more than a rotting, berserk embodiment who only desired to finish carrying out the erasure of this planet's existence. It didn't have much energy left within him, but he planned to use what little he did have to remove the only threat to its power from the world for good. With a roar the beast leapt into the air with its flaming aura blowing behind him. It appeared in front of me ready to clamp its boney teeth against my flesh, only for a quick sprint to the right to get me out of the way as it lurched its jaws to the side under the assumption that it had devoured me.

While it was frozen in place and the edges of its aura tried to lash out against me, I drew my sword once more and cut through the black flames, cleaving a divide through them and giving me an opening near the eye socket of the skull. I charge forth, the darkness brushing against my wings as they close in until I enter the head itself. From there I dash around back and forth, rebounding from side to side as I quickly cut across the surface of the bones and melt away any of the darkness that happens to dip close to my glowing figure. After doing whatever damage I could, the beast suddenly jerks its head upward while I'm still inside, flinging me quickly towards the hollow backside and back outside where my eyes catch a glimpse of the beast unfurling its six wings with the tips lacing themselves with pulsating orbs of collapsing darkness.

Once they have compacted into a spherical form many lasers are sent my way, attempting to bombard me as I flip around and fly across the backside of the beast with my sword by my side. I had no time to calculate where the projectiles were going to land mid-flight, so a proper defense could not be mounted. My best bet was to slip across the top of the dark aura and make it past the tail before I launched my next attack. However, the wings creased towards the center of the back, taking me entirely off-guard as they fell down ready to press me against the scaly skin of the beast.

Though considering how thin the membranes were, all it took was a short rise and a swing of my blade to cleave through the vein-y fibers and make it high above the beast. Now high above the air, I crossed my arms in front of my chest and held the blade of my sword out to the right, grabbing near the tip with my left hand and yelling out with great vigor "Time for you to stay down!" In a span of time incalculable to the mighty berserker, the turn of its head was met with a gigantic, thin glowing cross slamming down upon the dark flames that composed its neck. Within seconds the beast was pinned to the ground, unable to break free no matter how much it roared and struggled. With a few more seconds of concentration I pinned down the claws against the ground as well, the limbs being spread out by the crosses.

The darkness is slowly seeped out of the aura and into the crosses, the glowing symbols losing none of their magnificence as I drain the beast of every last ounce of its remaining power. Eventually, the roars whittle down to but a tired whimper and the beast's head finally collapses against the ground. I remove the crosses, certain this time that I had beaten the beast. Yet as the crosses vanished I looked up into the sky, and was puzzled by the sight of the lightning bolts still tearing apart what little remained of the planet's surface. "This can't be…I know the beast is dead for good this time, so why isn't the destruction stopping?"

I looked down at the aforementioned beast and as I squinted my eyelids together I watched as the individual molecules that composed its being began to rise up towards the dark clouds, which split open to allow them to pass on through. It was then that my eyes rose up in horror and I realized the only possible conclusion. "That was far too easy…Which means that wasn't the real threat, but merely an avatar of it…Whatever is threatening to tear Plit away from existence, its looming above the planet…I have to take the fight to it now, before its-" As I spoke to myself, I am suddenly interrupted by a great tremor that shakes apart both the air and the planet to its very core.

The lightning bolts come to an end while the clouds disintegrate from existence, and the erasure of the planet speeds up immensely as within seconds what little remained of Toad Town is wiped away. As I float with my head turned towards the destruction, the rumble of the air is broken by the disoriented voice of Alpha. _"…Mew, I'm sorry…"_ He had succumbed to despair, his voice dripping with solemn depression as he quietly talks to me. I didn't say anything back to him, as I my slowly beating heart froze me in place upon hearing the panicked cries in the background of his communication.

"…_We…We did everything we could. But the erasure of our planet has become too widespread, and all of us are isolated on a slowly deteriorating moutainside with no hope of escape…I know you tried your hardest to save us, but…Its over…We've all lost our planet, and that is something we have to accept…But Mew, I don't want us to go away without fulfilling all of our purposes, especially since our spirits will never be able to linger in the mortal plane ever again…So before I am erased from existence, I just want to say that I'm sorry…I'm so very sorry that I failed both you and Alex…Because above all else, I was hoping I could have been your fath-"_

…That's all I hear from him. As much as he talked about leaving existence with no regrets, Alpha wasn't even able to finish his sentence before being wiped clean from the planet along with the rest of the heroes and the people they wished to protect… "But…You are wrong Alpha…" I gain control of my emotions as a fervent tear trickles down my left and right cheeks. I thrust my head towards the sky as the way to space above is opened via the parting clouds. There was something massive lying in wait for me to combat it, and as I clenched my left hand while keeping my rage from breaking through I said to myself "If my assumption is correct, there is still a way to fix everything…" With no other words to speak due to no one being around to hear them, I fly up towards space for the final battle…As Plit vanished out of existence around me…

_Next Time: The Leviathan that Ends Al_


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43: Shattered Reality: Through Desolation Lies the Climax**

I fly up through the air, my body swerving back and forth as I pressed against the vanishing air around me and make my way towards the atmospheric layer. I could not see what lied in space no matter how much I tried to peer ahead. But what I was able to see as I turned my head back around was the planet decaying behind me. There was a massive hole in place of the great plains of the Mushroom Kingdom, and with gravity now a non-factor the citadel collapsed into the empty vastness of nothingness that existed below and left this world without a trace. Alex's condition was one of the first things I thought of as I tearfully continued to fly away from what was left of the planet.

I left him to fight the Reaper and the illusion of Joe Dark, and I had no idea if they vanished after the beast had appeared. I guess it didn't matter in the end, since even if he was able to return to the citadel there was no way for him to survive the deterioration of reality around him. In fact, I had to even wonder how I was still around after everything else had disappeared without a trace… "No, I can't start thinking that way. Whatever the reason, its up to me to finish this…And only me…" To think that I would truly be alone in this final battle…I can't even rely on the spirits of the others to be by my side after all that was sacrificed.

As I finally ascended past the vanishing atmosphere, I finally manage to catch a glimpse of the being truly responsible for the slow disappearance of reality, and am immediately reminded of an earlier mention about the horrors us higher beings are able to perceive. With the body of a leviathan that spanned outward for what appeared to be infinity and a coloring that allowed it to blend perfectly into the depths of space despite its pale white sheen along with a incomprehensible, phantasmal head whose scar shaped, glowing red eyes stared towards me without an ounce of emotion, the being spread open its planet-consuming maw to reveal a dark blue interior with the cosmic antiquities of a thousand stars glowing brightly behind its formless teeth. Attached to its expansive body was millions of ghastly tendrils that spread out across the boundless universe and wrapped themselves around both planets and stars to slowly erase them from existence.

Needless to say, the being was overwhelming in size, seeing as my body alone was merely as big as the corner of his eyes. Before the being fully acknowledged my existence, I turned back towards the planet, and watch as the remaining bits of distorted land deteriorates into itself. Within seconds, nothing remains of the planet besides the empty space where it once stood. I had nothing to land on from here on out, and would stay in the vast reaches of outer space until I failed or succeeded. "Everyone…I wish I could say you were counting on me from above…But that's not the case this time." I turn back towards the being and draw my sword from my holster, flipping it around and swinging it out beside my body as I say to myself "I can only go on my own beliefs and determination…And I'll do it all for those I love."

As I raised my blade to face the beast in combat, it too drew two three-clawed hands from the ethereal plane to float beside his head. I peered towards the center of the beast's forehead, and within the swirling darkness that composed its being I noticed a colored speck taking prominence amongst everything else. It was Mr. Reality, unconscious with his cloak wrapped around in a twister his hands have been forcibly crossed in front of his chest. "Well at least I know where he is…Now the question remains as to how I am going to separate him from the rest of this being…" I lean my body slightly to the right, holding my sword out in front of me as I look towards the being and send a powerful, illuminating glow into the blade to make sure that its attention is entirely on me.

As it leans its head down slightly and pulls the entirety of space forward with its sluggish tug, it says to me in a monotone voice without moving its lips _"All shall be wiped clean…A universe without sustenance to curb the desires of my host body is one that does not deserve to exist in its current state…I will wipe the impurities clean, and recreate everything so my host body can no longer succumb to the tenacious grip of ennui. This reality shall be shattered, and that is the only, inevitable conclusion." _"You'll have to erase me first before you can make that reality a possibility!" I declare out in brute defiance of the being's goals, and with a chilling laugh the spawn replies to me by saying _"You are but a miniscule speck…An atom on the surface that is the universe…I have already wiped out hundreds upon hundreds of galaxies…It matters not what you accomplish, oblivion awaits you…"_

With a slight movement of his right hand that covers half a planet's worth of space, a series of glowing, contorting portals open up in front of the being's expansive maw as he seals his lips shut. Through the center of these portals emerges solar empowered beams of energy that home in on my current location and threaten to incinerate my body whole. With their size proving to be double that of my own, I swiftly fly across the reaches of space as a blinding streak of light to dodge the attacks as they are fired out one by the one, new portals spawning to replace the old ones until I take my sword down beside my body and gather up light energy from the excess surrounding the beams that are fired my way.

After a quick turn around I swing my sword outright towards the closest portal, releasing a powerful beam of my own that enters the portal and overwhelms it completely. The resulting explosion leaves behind a flash of light similar to that of a blinding quasar, but with my body turned around from the light I am able to keep moving onward and cleave my blade through five more portals that I reach by zipping across space at different junctions. I turn my back to the storm of explosions and calmly holster my blade while the gale from the blasts blows the top of my wings forward past the length of my body.

Once things have calmed down a bit I turn back around and try to keep my heart beat under control as I am once again taken aback by the size of the being before me. After that I fly backwards to get some distance, which in the end would prove to be a futile matter as a quick turn of the head would leave me watching as the being commanded its massive right hand to sweep across the vast depths of space without any debris to get in its way. Even though it was only half the size of the head itself, the hand was still way too big for me to avoid, even if I moved as fast as I physically could manage.

So with my sword gripped before my body while the handle hung in front of my waist, I jerked the blade once to create a pristine, light-blue glow around it and readied myself to cut a large enough hole through the hand to make it so the palm would not impact with my body. With a bit of concentration on the air in front of me and a calming shutting of my eyelids, I etched a two-dimensional seal out of pure white light to act as a barrier that would break and alert me of just the right moment of when I should strike out. I imagined the fuzzy glow protruding from the seal as it finished, but it was a beautiful sight that only lasted three seconds before it shattered upon making contact with the otherworldly hand.

With the shards of light flying my way I thrust my eyelids up and gaze through the storm, swinging my sword vertically to burn a large crack through the hand of darkness. It was surprisingly bigger than one would expect considering the size of my blade, and at an estimate I put it about twenty times the height of my body and ten times as wide. I slipped between it, making it out as the wound heals up and the hands flies over my head to return to the side of the being's head. "What the hell? I know light supersedes darkness…But my attack shouldn't have hurt it that much, should it?" As I turn my head slightly towards the right while my heart began beating quickly, I am interrupted from my train of thought by the being's next attack.

As space around me trembled, the begin pulled its head back and pulled its mouth up wide. Cosmic dust was dragged in from all-around via a powerful, tornado shaped vacuum that ended at the center of the being's mouth. The ceasing of the trembling universe only proved to be a warning to the severity of the monster's next attack. With little time left to move out of the way, I covered my body in an aura of pure light and zipped through space towards the right, leaning my body to the side while pouring as much of my excess aura as physically possible into my blade for the ensuing counterattack. As the being swung its head downward, everything slipped into an eerie silence.

Whatever stars remained ceased to shine their light as they were devoured by the tendrils of the leviathan, and some of their energy glowed through the body until it reached the core of the being's mouth. With a powerful light breaking through the cosmic confines, the being shot through the infinite reaches of the universe a mighty cone-shaped beam infused with the sparkling essence of a billion stars and the reality tearing energies that had been stored away within the incalculable length of its gut. The only reason I managed to survive was because I was behind the left edge of the beam…Though admittedly, avoiding it didn't stop me from looking on in horror as the beam tore through the pitch blackness of space and rendered everything white for light years of distance.

When the beam finally subsided and the tear had been left behind, I shook off the fear I experienced upon witnessing that and turned towards the beast, flying at its massive face without a care in the world as a blinding streak trails behind my folded wings. I begin a violent onslaught of swords slashes, my blade being swung about in multiple directions to carve apart the beast's gargantuan left cheek until the destruction causes it to flinch and react to my presence. As it began to turn my way, I pull back my sword and whirl it around a few times above the right side of my body before grabbing it in a backhanded manner and charging straight through the air across the front of the beast's chin.

With a powerful yet precise cleaving motion, I cut through the entire chin and disconnect it from the rest of the creature's head. Though without the weight of gravity to pull it away, the regenerative process of the leviathan causes the separated halves to fuse back together in a matter of seconds. Even though the damage was repaired, the beast lets out a hollow yet painful sounding roar through its mouth. When I emerge on the other side of the creature's head I flip myself around while rapidly ascending through space, swinging my sword as each of my rotations positions my vision towards the beast to unleash a formless wave of light towards my opponent.

Each collision releases a burst of energy that disintegrates large portions of the beast's head at a time, leaving little on the right side of the face by the time I have risen above the top of it. _"Insolate particle…" _The beast growls towards me, and as it recreates its damaged features it turns towards me and drags space apart as I swings its infinite body through the depths of space. With a mere glow of its eyes and a shifting of its brows I am suddenly bound by three dark red rings of solar energy that are kept together by black lightning with a powerful magnetic pull surrounding it. As the inner edges of the rings burn themselves against my skin, my sword is rendered useless by the electricity coursing down through my arm and into the blade.

"_Now you shall see the birth of something magnificent…" _The beast raises its hands beside me, and with but a whim they are flipped through space so the right one is below me and the other is above me. _"See what can be created through the hands of your new god and tremble…"_ As the hands were brought down against me, I did not feel my body getting squished together but rather absorbed into the darkness exuding from the palms as the heat from the rings expanded outwards in a spherical shape until my entire body was consumed. With the temperature rising to near inhuman degrees, I had to coat myself in a veil of light just to prevent my blood from boiling.

Then the hands began to pull apart from one another, the sphere stretching outward in circumference so the edges stay close to the palms. The heat increases even further, but I keep my veil up even though its strength has to be increased to match the temperature around me. "He is creating a miniature sun…" I note as the density within the energy's core begins to push against my veil and crack it without much difficulty. I widen my eyes upon thinking about my revelation a bit more, and realize that there was only one way this was going to end. "He's going to detonate it!" And with me trapped in the center, I would receive the full brunt of the explosion, which would likely kill me if I let it go through.

**(Author's Note: Now, I really know this breaks the tension of the fight for those of you who have read up until this point, but I really need to address something that is going to happen in this next paragraph before anyone starts calling bullshit. You see, while writing Chapter 42, I was going to include a sentence that indicated that Mew used his light powers to pick up the Time Stone before engaging the Reality Avatar, but in my rush to get the chapter out in time I neglected to put it in. So since this was all part of the original plan, the event in question did happen, I just…Well, am an idiot for failing to remember that detail before I posted the chapter. Anyways, now you may continue unabated.)**

With quick thinking, I reach into my left pocket and pull out the Time Stone, grasping it tightly and close to my chest as I can feel the sphere reaching its maximum size. I had to pull this off perfectly by waiting for the exact moment where the heat vanished and the explosion began, otherwise I would be consumed and the time freezing effect would be negated. Everything became silent as I closed my eyelids and concentrated on the crackling atoms around me. All I could hear besides those was, to him, the quiet whisper of the leviathan's voice. _"I give this new universe its first sun as a declaration of the true destruction of the old universe…Be birthed…And tremble the depths of space…"_

As the reaction began to form in the core of the sun, I activated the Time Stone and deactivated the veil around me. The heat became non-existent for but a brief moment as the area is bathed in a pale light-blue aura. I push through the thick heat of the sun as quickly as I could, until I make it out through the front. I keep going though just to make it away from the brunt edge of the explosion, and once I turn around and see that the place where I once was had become the size of a baseball from the distance I was at I release the effect of the Time Stone from the universe. The explosions bursts out in a glowing red spectacle of energy, extending far beyond the grasp of the hands, uncontained and bright in its form.

As the hands are drawn back to the side of his head, I notice something odd with the being as I looked over at him. His figure had become more diluted, and the darkness composing his head was now a lot more hazy than it was when the battle began. A similar change can be noticed in my own aura, which is wrapped lightly around my body with a rather hazy border. My skin and armor also looks a little paler compared to before, which was rather suspicious considering the fact that I wasn't even trying to cast an aura. But as I loomed on the issue for but a few seconds, the leviathan stares out towards me and says _"Hmm…So the sun was unstable…A pity though that you did not die…That Time Stone of yours cannot allow you to secure victory like it did against my host body, but I will not deny that it is still a pesky relic of the original Overlord's existence…Seeing as he used it to seal me and my brethren in the Light Citadel two-thousand years ago…" _

I cared not about the information that the being revealed to me at the moment. If anything, I'll try and remember what was said and get some details out of someone else later on. I began to hold my blade out in front of me and looked onward waiting for an opening to strike the beast, even though he had healed all the wounds that I inflicted on him up until this point. It was strange though. As I tried to perceive his power level with a focused glance, I noticed that it was climbing upward consistently with no end in sight, and yet despite that I felt that he was on even ground with me at all times. "What is going on here?" I asked in my mind as the beast then said to me _"Very well…It seems all I can do is devour you, where you shall spend a nightmarish eternity being consumed by my leviathan gut. You have nowhere to run child…The entire universe has been made blank by my powers…"_

With a furious roar, the beast lunges forward through the depths of space. With its girth, its movements are sluggish, yet because of its size I knew it wouldn't take much for the beast to consume me with its open maw. As I readied myself to escape the initial lunge, my body is suddenly struck with a sharp, throbbing pain through my heart. I am forced onto my knees with my left fist plunged against my chest, only for my knuckles to not feel anything as my body starts to become weightless and my chest cavity becomes hollow. With fear gripping my twitching body, I raise my left hand up in front of my face, only to find that the flesh had been replaced entirely with pure light.

A quick look at the rest of my body revealed that a similar change had occurred all-around, and one thing for certain was that this was something I did not activate voluntarily. My sword had slipped out of my fingers and floated in the gravity-less vastness in front of me, leaving me with no weapon to defend myself with as the paralyzing agony brought on by my sudden change in body structure rendered me unable to move away from where I was currently kneeled down at. The beast was an immeasurable distance away from me, but that gap was closing swiftly. I couldn't do anything, and I both knew and loathed this reality. I was going to be consumed, and a new universe would be born without anyone I knew in it.

As I tightly shut my eyelids and leaned my head forward with my illuminated body trembling in fear I said to myself "This can't be how it ends…Please…There has to have been someone who survived the erasure reality…I beg you, if you can hear me…Please save us all…" My gentle, whispered prayer slips through my lips as tears fail to be drawn from my vanished tear ducts. As the beast draws ever closer, I suddenly sense a new presence that was never there before, and in a matter of seconds I manage to catch a glimpse of a familiar cloaked figure leaping across space upon opening my eyelids. In its otherworldly right hand was my Time Stone, and from his left sleeve emerged two hands that extend past the believable length of a normal human's limbs until they reach the forehead of the leviathan.

With a simple collision of the palms, the beast is knocked back to its original starting point after two resounding, phantom green shockwaves are released from the impact points. Stunned by the fact that this mysterious person has harmed him and deterred him from his predetermined goal, the beast says with a stutter in his voice _"Y-You?! Impossible…All beings should be erased from existence…The only reason the Elemental Overlord still exists is because of the Light energy reserve he absorbed!" _After regaining his composure the beast raises his head back up and lets out a subdued growl through his lips, saying to the mysterious stranger _"Very well, then…I WILL DEVOUR YOU TOO!" _Before lunging forward once more, ready to eat us both.

"Yeah, I don't think that's likely to happen…" The cloaked figure raises his ghoulish right hand swiftly into the air, activating the Time Stone with but a gesture and freezing everything but myself and him in place as a pale blue aura covers the depths of space. After activating the effects of the relic the being flings the stone casually over his shoulder, and as the pain in my body suddenly subsides I cup my hands in front of me and catch the Time Stone, looking up in bewilderment at first as the cloaked man turns around and withdraws his ghoulish hands into his body. "A-Aren't you the Chronicler? …The real one, that is?" I asked, his appearance garnering a familiar recollection of the things Alex told me about the mysterious, otherworldly being not too long ago.

The man nodded, and edged closer to me with his face obscured entirely by the shadow of his hood. He had a rather spectral way of flying, especially with how the bottom of his cloak moved about without a single bit of wind to help it. "But…What are you doing here? I-I have to share some agreement with the beast on this one…Shouldn't everyone have been wiped from reality?" As I voiced my inquiry, the Chronicler stopped but a few feet away from my body and extended one of its hands outward, expecting me to take it so he could help pull me back onto my feet. I accept his offer by holding out my right hand, and once I have stood up straight I keep the Time Stone grasped in my other hand since I have no pockets to store it away anymore.

The Chronicler finally acknowledged my question afterwards, and with one hand suspended out of his right sleeve he says to me "Good thing I exist outside of reality then. Also, without even counting me, not everyone has been wiped away, though the number of people isn't really higher than the single digits…" Though I didn't really like the prospect of knowing, I turned my body in caution and asked the Chronicler "How many are left?" "You, the beast, the one called Mr. Reality, the three higher-ups, the one who watches all of his children from above, and his antithesis. So about nine beings out of a once countless life form filled expanse…Though out of everyone, only Mr. Reality retains any flesh on his body."

The Chronicler's last sentence brings a bit of curiosity to my mind, especially considering the current changes in my body. After a quick look at my "skin", for lack of a better term, I lift my head back up at the mysterious being and ask him "So…Do you know what is going on with my body?" With a hesitant sigh the Chronicler shakes his head a couple of times and says to me "You know how the universe is supposed to maintain a perfect balance between light and darkness at all times, and will at certain moments create new beings when the balance is tipped in the wrong direction by death?"

I nodded my head, and the Chronicler continued on with what he was saying before. "You see, because of the leviathan's efforts, he is the only being of darkness left in the universe while you are the only being of pure light. To owe up for the fact that all other beings from both sides have been erased, both of your powers have been continually amplifying further and further to the point that the only way to keep light and darkness maintained in the universe is to rid you of your flesh and turn you into nothing more than a sentient being of pure light. However, this process isn't something that will last for very long…If you don't strip Mr. Reality away from the leviathan, both of you will lose all traces of sentience and the light and darkness that remains will merge together…Unifying and collapsing to the point where you'll create the universe's second Big Bang, causing everything to start all over again with Mr. Reality himself acting as the catalyst for the rebirth of fleshy beings in the new universe."

It was a lot to take in at once, and if I still had a beating heart the amount of stress I would have put on it due to hearing this information would have likely given me a heart attack. "H-Holy crap…" Are the only two words I can muster through my mouth as I try to keep my composure. The Chronicler folds his arms in front of his chest and says to me in response "Don't worry, I was told to interfere specifically because the higher-ups DON'T want a billion years of history to repeat itself all over again…" "But how are you expecting me to pull Mr. Reality away from the beast?" I then asked. The Chronicler turns around and unfurls his arms, pulling through his sleeves many of his ghastly hands at once. "The only way you'll be able to do something to stop the beast is if its weaker than you…So I'm going to tear away as many of its tendrils as physically possible to weaken it and give you an opening to separate the leviathan from its host body. After that, you HAVE to use the Time Stone to freeze time so the beast isn't given a chance to reconnect with Mr. Reality. Everything from that point onwards is up to you to deal with getting reality restored to its normal state."

"…And what about the leviathan itself? In fact, just what is that thing supposed to be? It said that the Elemental Overlord 'sealed its brethren away' or something like that." The Chronicler stays silent for a moment, his arms drooping beside him as he refused to at first reveal what he knew. "Do you not want to reveal it? Cause if so, I'm sorry for-" "The Parakali are invisible, otherworldly parasites that dig themselves into the vulnerable subconscious and amplify the person's powers in order to fulfill their innermost desires in the most vile way possible. However, the Parakali are rather slow and cannot get in contact with pure light or else they will disintegrate. The Elemental Overlord once encountered a large swarm of these parasites and had to use the Time Stone along with the Dark King's assistance in order to contain all of these creatures within the innermost chambers of the Light Citadel. You see, the defenses of the Light Citadel weren't just implemented to keep people from breaking in and using the battleship to attack other planets, but also to keep the Parakali from escaping. Mr. Reality setup the 'Midnight Channel' inside of the Light Citadel to hold back the Parakali until your Time Stone broke it and allowed one of them to slip into the reality bender's mind and create the leviathan and the avatar you fought earlier…So because of how deeply the Parakali has ingrained itself into Mr. Reality's subconscious, even when the alien restores the destroyed reality, that parasite will still be there waiting to return the moment the reality bender overuses its powers."

"…I-I can't believe it, so reality has been torn apart this far because of what I did…" I was very guilt ridden by what the Chronicler said to me, and as my body shivered in surprise of what the leviathan truly was the mysterious man turned towards me and said "In a way, you are both to blame for what has happened, and believe me when I say it is really hard to have to say that to you of all people…But the matter of blame is something you and the reality bender will have to handle later on." "Huh? What do you mean its hard for you to say that to me?" The Chronicler's mysterious comment snapped me out of my guilt as the begin turned his head slightly and I could feel a warm smile coming from behind the shade of his cloak. "Trust me, much later on everything will make sense…But for now, there is no time to be worrying about my comments. Now, on my cue, prepare to deal with the leviathan…Time Stone, BREAK!"

With but three words the aura around us shatters, and everything resumes as if not even a second had passed. With the leviathan still lunging towards us, the Chronicler thrusts himself through the air with hundreds upon hundreds of ghastly lands being drawn out of his sleeves ready to put our plan into motion. With a few of the hands being thrust against the forehead of the beast to keep him at bay, the remainder curl around the sides of the leviathan's head and extend out like an endless web of limbs until they reach the tendrils and begin to wrap themselves around the joint between the body and the actual tendrils. _"W-What are you doing?!" _The Leviathan asks in utter bewilderment. "Allowing everyone to see tomorrow, that's what…" The Chronicler calmly responds.

With a violent pull on every tendril he had latched his hands around, the limbs are ripped right off with minimal effort as an alien, bluish goop floods out of the broken joints and spreads across the depths of space. The leviathan roars in pain as the Chronicler retracts his own hands and turns towards me. "You only got thirty seconds before he regenerates! Its up to you now!" And just like that, the Chronicler flies out of the target range of the flailing, cosmic beast. With my body on the edge of existing as a sentient being and my aura of light fizzling out of control, I calmly nod my head and slant my eyebrows in furious determination as I fling my arms out beside my body and work to channel all of the limitless energy I could into an attack that would be powerful enough to briefly separate the parasite's physical body from its host.

The energy swirled outwards in a formless spiral around my body, expanding farther and father as the intensity of its luminescent glow breeched that of a newly born star and continued increasing immensely until it reached the point that someone at the very edge of the universe likely could have seen a hint of its brightness. I keep pouring light into the swirling mesa of energy, focusing as hard as I could as I counted down the seconds until my opportunity would be lost. Eventually, the final product is a massive, galaxy-shaped attack of pure light that hovers above me as the epitome of my power. As I grit my teeth and kept my arms held beside me to hold the galaxy at bay, I saw with incredible vigor "Our reality was fine the way it was! We don't need you to change anything, so disappear!"

I swing my arms straight in front of my chest, feeling the powerful breeze flowing across my celestial body as the galaxy flies forward through the air at a million miles per hour. The leviathan had no chance of defending himself as the central nebula collides with his face and pushes his entire body backwards against its will. Through the ethereal streams of galactic energy I could see Mr. Reality failing to stay connected to the thickened darkness as strands of that very energy are snapped away from his cloak one by one until he has truly been freed. As the leviathan screams in pain from the amount of light being exuded against his face, he is flung through the depths of space, my bright galaxy eventually becoming a miniature star in the distance as Mr. Reality floats as a speck in the middle of the murky depths, his cloak unfurled as his hands float beside him and his sleepy expression starts to flinch slightly. As I pant lightly and feel relieved that I will still able to retain my sentience for now, I look over at the alien and say to myself "This is where things will get difficult…"

_Next Time: Mr. Reality's True Motivation_


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44: The Judgment of Mr. Reality**

As the light from my galaxy-sized attack fades away, Mr. Reality begins to creak his single eyelid open, his gloves twitching beside him as a quiet grumble is pushed through his lips and he begins to lift his head up slightly. "Ugh…W-What's going on here?" He was tired, and that fed his bewilderment as he began to look ahead of himself and saw me glowing in place in the middle of this empty vastness of space. Despite my decaying physical traits, the alien was able to recognize me and said "Y-You?! How can this be? You broke the 'Midnight Channel', so I should have been infected by one of the Parakali…And that means that…" As he rambled on about what should have been, I hold my right hand up and stop him, saying in as calm of a tone as I could muster "I wouldn't exactly worry about that right now."

I then brandished one of my fingers ahead, giving Mr. Reality a chance to turn around and see the mighty leviathan as it swung its hands out beside his massive body and let out a blood curling roar that shook the very fabric of the universe. His tendrils stretched out beyond the expanse of his body, flailing about in the depths of space as he lowered his head and yelled out towards me with furious indignation _"YOU WILL NOT ROB ME OF MY HOST BODY, CRETIN!"_ With a ferocious lunge that began to rip apart what was left of the blank space in the universe, Mr. Reality looked into the mighty gaze of the beast and began to tremble, stuttering out to me "W-w-what the hell is that?!" Showing that he was incapable of recognizing the leviathan as the form the parasite had taken.

"Something we don't want to combine with you again. Now stand still, I need to be able to focus on both of our bodies!" With my declaration I clenched the Time Stone in my left hand and held it near my chest, focusing as hard as I could on myself and Mr. Reality as the leviathan drew ever closer to its host body. With a bright glow slipping through my eyelids I thrust them open and find that time has frozen all-around once more, with the beast stopping mere miles away from the horrified Mr. Reality and the tremors stopping right away. As I keep the stone grasped in my hand I position my body straight up and float over to the alien through the light-blue tinted field.

"Alright, we need to talk, now." My voice was firm, but it was not enough to get the being's attention as he continued to stare blankly into the maw of the leviathan while murmuring to himself "I-I was a part of this monstrosity…W-What did I do during the time when I was unconscious?" Despite understanding the shock that Mr. Reality had to have been experiencing right now, I was also more prominently furious at the fact that he ignored my voice and quickly remedied my rage by grabbing the alien by the lip of his helmet and swinging him around, grabbing him by the top of his tattered cloak and holding him as close to my body as physically possible before yelling straight into his glass protected face.

"You goddamn idiot! Look around you for a moment and tell me what you see! Everything is gone, I'm about to deteriorate into a sentient-less embodiment of light, and its all your fault!" I swing my right hand out in the middle of the my sentence, and at the end pause with my eyes widened in blistering fury so the reality bender can be given a moment to turn his head back and forth with his eyelid widened in horror once more. He looked revolted by what he saw, and as he creaked his head back towards me I expected him to express guilt over his actions and offer to restore reality back to normal. But as he opened his lips, the first words alerted me immediately of the fact that the opposite would be true.

"This is all your fault. Because you were so adamant to defy me when you were in the wrong for cheating in my game, the Parakali was given a chance to possess me and-" "Are you fucking kidding me?" I interrupt Mr. Reality before he was allowed to finish that bullshit response of his, my quiet voice deprived of all other emotions besides sheer disbelief as I blankly stared into the alien's single eye and grit my teeth and tightened my grip around his cloak with nothing more than sheer anger rising up and fueling my actions from here on out.

"No, seriously, are you literally. Fucking. KIDDING ME?! I gave you a chance to look around this barren universe, to see the destruction caused by your misdemeanors, and you have the sheer audacity to try and pin the blame all on me?! No, not just that, you had the fucking balls to go and continue to refer to that goddamn game of yours when the situation has evolved long past the need for such a title! How many times do I have to fucking tell you before any of my words penetrate that thick glass helmet of yours and pierce your seemingly deaf ears? I did not consciously 'cheat' to beat the final temple, I did not even know that Time Stone negated the effects of the Midnight Channel until much later on, so tell me, TELL ME YOU IGNORANT ALIEN, how I could have possibly broken the rules of your game on my own accord?! …You know, I don't even care to hear your answer, because that's the type of person you are. Just because you can control reality, you think you are above both good and evil and thus can do whatever you want without consequence? Well guess what? There is a consequence for every action, and the near destruction of all reality is the consequence of yours."

Mr. Reality stared at me blankly in stunned disbelief, his mouth somewhat agape as a nervous sweat trickled down his head and his body trembled in fear. My outrage was too much for him to handle, and in nervous retaliation he yelled out to me "Do you think I wanted these powers?! Do you think I had so much as a choice as to whether or not I wanted to accept them into my body like Alex Whiter did with the Elemental Overlord's powers and Joe Dark did with the Dark King's?! No! I didn't want this, I never wanted to be above good and evil, I didn't want to destroy reality, and I most certainly didn't want things to go as far as they have! You pin all of this blame on me, and yet last I checked if it weren't for your Time Stone I never would have been possessed by one of the Parakali!"

"And who is to blame here as to why I didn't listen to your warning? Perhaps if you hadn't gone and pissed me off by killing everyone inside of Peach's Castle and forced everyone else to endure being a part of your twisted game, I would have had more of a reason to listen to you! Do you even understand how much I cared about everyone on Plit, about the love shared between the families of the world you so mercilessly slaughtered with your destructive impulses?! How could you ever know? You uncaring, soulless-" Mr. Reality grew increasingly angered throughout my piercing speech, and as I reached the end the alien grit his teeth and swung his left fist right into my face with tears flowing down his cheeks.

My grip is immediately loosened away from his body, as I feel the full brunt of the alien's rage in that single blow as my head is forcibly twisted off to the side with my body following suit. As I stare towards the blankness of space, stunned by Mr. Reality's reaction, I slowly lift myself up from the blow and look into the flustered alien's face as he pants wildly and tries to get control of himself. He glares at me in anger, and once he catches his breath he opens his mouth up wide and blurts out to me "How dare you say such heartless things about me! Do you not understand what I lost because of the destruction of reality? I lost my family, my people, my planet! All of that has been lost, and you think I am so cruel and inconsiderate as to not care about the fact that it was my mistake that caused them all to disappear in the first place?!"

With Mr. Reality's tearful plight, I had to pause in place and think for a moment about what I had just said to him. "Perhaps I did get too into the moment, especially considering everything he put me through…" I thought to myself with a hint of guilt in my tone, and with a blink of the eyelids I said to the alien as he tried to calm himself down once more "…I'm sorry, perhaps I did go a little too far there…In the end, I guess both of us are to blame for this all happening. Sigh…" Rubbing the tender parts of my forehead with my right fingertips, I folding my legs in front of my body and sit down mid-air, folding my arms in front of my chest then after before looking at the reality bender and saying to him "Ok, look…I get the feeling you got some issues you need to work out here, so if you want to talk about them I'll be more than happy to listen and try to help."

After a few more steady breaths, the alien closes his eyelid and lets out a relaxing sigh, lifting his head up not long afterwards to stare at me with a tired eye and saying in a calm voice "…Alright, I don't really know how much good this will do, but perhaps it would help if I got my problems off of my chest." _"'You see, I am from the planet Zedargon, located in the Maxium galaxy 200 light years away from Plit's galaxy. Our race, the Picasaru, were generally known in our quadrant for having the greatest mining facilities for light years on end, and through the thousands of years that we had been around we hadn't even explored all of the caverns in on the planet. I was one of the miners under the service of our king, and was in a happy marriage with my wife and three kids."_

"_All of us who worked for the king toiled in the mines, working for ten moon cycles until we had filled a specific quota for the king. Despite how long the job took to complete each time, I always enjoyed it simply because by the time everything was said and done I was able to return to my family and enjoy a few days of happiness before I had to return. You see, I was a strange one amongst the rest of my 'fellow' workers. Everyone else always complained about their job as they worked, but because I enjoyed this I was seen as 'a kiss-ass who wants nothing more than to become the king's second-in-command'. Ridicule was part of the daily work cycle, but I brushed off their comments as nothing more than trite words."_

"_Of course, as it always goes, events transpired to change those words into harsher, embittered actions. You see, from the mines I occasional picked up the prettiest jewels I could find to give to my wife as the product of my hard labor. The most beautiful one of all, a blue crystal with a glimmer similar to that of the glow from the setting of our evening suns, was crafted into a ring that I used to propose to my wife. One day though, to try and garner a reaction from me, a few of the workers broke into my house, beat my wife to near unconsciousness, and stole her ring before throwing it deep into one of the unknown caverns on our planet."_

"_Throwing myself into a rage, I tried to attack the perpetrators only for them to swarm me and leave me incapacitated at the entrance to the cavern they tossed the ring into. With one last kick to knock me in, I heard their laughs amidst one of them saying to me in an echoing voice 'If you value your love and job so much, then it shouldn't be difficult to retrieve your ring and escape'. I fell for what felt like forever, but the impact didn't do much more to damage me than everything else that had been tossed my way so far. Though the pit was deep, light still shone in from afar, cast by a glorious altar the likes of which I had never seen before."_

"_Through that light I was able to catch the familiar glimmer of my ring, and saw it lying on the ground a few feet away from me. As I recovered and picked the symbol of my eternal loyalty to my wife up off the ground, I began to gaze blankly into the pristine, glowing orb that floated in the air in front of me. In retrospect, the sphere looked much like the Genesis Orb that housed the Elemental Overlord's spirit, but with a much more alluring glow. I was attracted towards it, and continued to walk forward as someone in the orb began to speak to me. He said 'I can cleanse you of your hardships and ease the burden that plagues you…' All the voice wanted was me to touch it, and those wishes of mine would come true with but a mere few words."_

"_I was so drawn to the orb that all other senses were disabled save for my feet and hands. I didn't know anything about this orb, yet because of how weakened my resolve was I looked for the easy road out of troubles, knowing not what would await me the moment I touched it. My body began to spasm as my gloves inched along the sides of the orb, and without warning I could feel power unlike any other flowing into my body, warping my sense of sight as everything became distorted until my eye fizzled out and everything went blank without a trace of sound to suggest that I was still alive after that horrid experience."_

"_I eventually woke up in the castle's medical ward, god knows how much time having passed since I was thrown unconscious. The doctors considered my awakening to be a medical impossibility, and I would quickly find out the reason why after learning that my 'body' had been pulled out of the cavern by the king's guards. I saw that by touching the orb, I had lost all of my physical features save for my head, which I later discovered was the fair bargain given in exchange for having my new powers. I began to scream and panic, the doctors doing all they could to restrain me against my bed as I flailed about to try and throw them off."_

"_But as they did so, one of the guards came in and asked if the prisoner was ready to be carried away. Apparently, after my 'fellow' workers pushed my into the cavern, they ran to the king and falsified a story to him. They claimed that in bitter rage over the difficulty of my job, I returned home and brutally assaulted my wife, taking her ring and swearing to beat up my colleagues. As I later found out, the blunt trauma caused by those bastards assaulting my wife made her forget who attacked her, and thus they were able to manipulate her into following their made-up story. After that all they had to do was explain that they pushed me down the cavern in self-defense."_

"_In a bitter rage over what I had heard, I broke the doctors off of my body with a few simple yet sudden energy distortions from my gloves. After that I leaped from the bed and threw a nearby scalpel into the chest of the guard and threw myself out the nearby window before back-up arrived. I then landed in front of the castle walls, the weightlessness of my 'body' making it easy to glide away. The security lights then blared on, and with quick reflexes I had to avoid a rain of bullets from the nearby towers. With only a head to be hit, their bullets merely spread across the ground. I was able to get out of range, leaving them no choice but to chase after me normally."_

"_I made my way back to my home, hoping to explain everything to my wife and kids so they would accept my apology for letting things go so far out-of-control. But all I came to back to was an empty abode with a note taped above the fireplace. With a withered breath I took the note and read it quietly. It was from my wife, and in the most politest manner she could muster in her written words, she explained to me that she had taken the kids and was looking for a new home on another planet. She also said that 'I knew things were difficult, but to think that you would assault me and go destroy our ring…The symbol of your dedication and our love…'"_

"_I couldn't bring myself to finish the letter after that, for my teardrops blurred the writing while my fingers crumbled the paper into a wrinkled lump. But before I could escape with nothing but my sorrow, piercing, bright searchlights shone through the many windows in the house while an authoritative voice ordered for my peaceful surrender. With soldiers threatening to barge in, and the weight of my sorrow and anger finally proving to be too much to bear, I closed my eyelid tightly and opened my mouth subconsciously in desperation and declared in bold 'I just want everything to be right in this world! For those bastards who wronged me to pay, for happiness to return, and for my family to back to me!"_

"_And in an instant, everything around me changed without my body feeling as though it moved a single inch. I opened my eyelid as the commotion died down around me, and I suddenly found myself sitting on the throne of our king with my loving wife and kids beside me. The guards that tried to take me once before were kneeling on the ground, calling me their 'Loyal ruler' as I stared at them in utter confusion. At first I thought everything was a dream that I had been swept away into, but then my wife congratulated me on my tenth year on the throne and I realized that everything had changed around me. Our old king no longer existed, I was the planet's new leader, and the bastards that wronged me once before were the only other people besides me who knew that something had changed in the world."_

"_But their fate was most karmic, for even though they knew the truth of the old world, they were now slave workers in the caverns who were continuously proven to be liars by he rest of the populace. It was then that I realized that the orb granted me the power to control reality with but a few words from my mouth, and that this world came to be because of what I said before. I looked down at my regal, blue cloak and smiled, overjoyed at the changes in my life and vowing to take full advantage of my powers in order to keep this happiness going."_

"_Every problem that arose was solved with but a whim, and I made sure that no one became suspicious of my powers by warping reality in secret so that no one would hear the words coming from my mouth only when I manipulated the fabric of reality. It was nice to be in control of everything from atop my throne, and I was able to keep up a benevolent image without making everyone believe that with but a few words. I still was able to enjoy the love of my wife and kids, and for a long time I never once thought back to the way things were before I accidentally changed the world."_

"_About a year later though, I began to become bored of the same old routine day after day. Either things would go by perfectly, or if something went wrong I would just casually move my hand around and solve the problem with a few words. And even tormenting those bastards in the caverns grew monotonous and tiresome. Yet, despite my problems with the stagnant situation I had accidentally thrown myself into I couldn't bring myself to stop using my powers and let things go about their normal pace once more. So eventually, I decided to find some way to cure my boredom, and thought that with my powers, the only thing that could be fun would be if I messed around with deities."_

"_So with a simple sentence, I received in the palm of my right hand a newspaper detailing how the new Elemental Overlord defeated the Dark King and saved the planet Plit from destruction. Intrigued by the person's appearance and powers, I decided that I would go to Plit and meet this Overlord in person, and once I had tested their mettle I would research everything I could with my powers in order to set up a proper game for him to play and for me to observe. Everything from then on out, you already know about, so I shall not recap those events for you…" _Mr. Reality's tale finally came to an end, but before I could respond the alien let out a melancholy sigh and said to me "You know, this whole ordeal has really helped me out, I have to admit…"

"Oh? How so?" I inquired gently. "The sheer trauma brought on by the revelation that I had a hand in destroying reality, along with the recollection of the events leading up to this point, has made me realize that I was truly too focused on the ecstasy and joy brought on by the powers I wielded, and failed to realize that all I was doing was living a massive lie amongst my own people…But how can I go back to the reality that is true, when all that awaits me is imprisonment, emptiness, and rage?" Though he was mainly speaking to himself, I felt the question at the very end was directed towards me, and with an unfurling of my arms and legs I stood up in space and looked at Mr. Reality as he turned his back towards me.

"Sometimes we have to accept the reality that has been handed to us…But you, you don't have to do that. You have the power to right what has been wronged with but a few words…The reason you couldn't do that before was because you were so consumed by your own emotions that you didn't know how to properly react to the situation…That and the fact that you didn't know about your powers in the first place, but when you did find out about them you were given such a perfect paradise that you didn't want to ever return to the old world even though that was the just thing to do. But now that you've been given a moment to calm down and think about what you've done, you realize that it was wrong to let the lie continue onward, and want to do something to fix everything without return to a situation that you never deserved to be in."

That long-winded yet honest paragraph was my response to the alien's question, though a definitive answer wasn't found amongst any of the words, cause I wanted him to turn back around and look at me before saying "So…So what should I do then?" He asked. "The catalyst for your problems is those cavern workers who unjustifiably ruined your life…Now, I really don't wish to advocate violent methods against them…So what you need to do is manipulate reality so someone is around to vouch for your side of the story. Perhaps someone really close to the king, just to be on the safe side. That way the guys that wronged you will pay in a morally right manner for their attempts at deceit, and you can continue to live your life without having to worry about them ever again."

"That…That actually sounds like a good idea…But, what am I supposed to do about my powers? I will always have this urge inside of me to use them, an insatiable craving that will never cease to speak to me no matter how much I try and ignore it…" "Hmm…" That second question was rather thought-provoking, yet at the same time one that had no easy answer to it. There were many factors involved, all of which I would have to carefully explain for him to understand. "Well first off, don't give in to the voices. Remember, YOU control the powers, not the voices in your head. What can they do to make you use your powers anyways? Of course, there's also the matter of the Parakali…You are free of it now, but when reality is restored I was told that it would still be ingrained into your sub consciousness, and that it would come free if you overused your reality powers. Who knows how many uses that could truly be…It could be as much as a hundred, it could as little as one…Simply put, the Parakali should be a proper motivator for you to stop listening to those urges from here on out."

"But what if I can't stop? What if I do end up using my powers again and the Parakali becomes freed? Are you sure you want to take the risk of reality being destroyed all over again? If anything, perhaps it would be better if you killed me after I restored everything…" I merely shook my head at Mr. Reality's guilt-ridden response. "No, I refuse to take your life now." I calmly said, which caused the alien to look at me in utter disbelief and blurt out in confusion "What do you mean by that?" "If I continued to see you in the light I did before, then perhaps I would have been more than willing to go through with your request. But you deserve a second chance to live your life in full…I'll tell you what though, even if it takes me an incalculable amount of months, I'll find something of the original Elemental Overlord's that will allow me to extract and kill the Parakali in your subconscious. Consider that a guaranteed promise, alright?" I gave the alien a firm and honest thumbs-up at the end of my sentence, and the mere fact that he smiled at me was more than enough to confirm that he felt that my promise was genuine.

"Thank you…Young Overlord…Now then…" The reality bender weaves his hands together in front of his body, his voice renewed with confidence as he begins to concentrate and says to me "I think I should get on with fixing everything, yes?" Before he began though, I urgently interrupted him with a quick brandishing of my right hand. "Hold on, before you begin, may I make a few suggestions?" "Hmm, yes, I believe that would be for the best…" He responded with his eyelid still closed. "First off, make it so when you go back to your planet, the populace will see that you still have your whole body, since otherwise they'll get suspicious of you and everything might go back to normal. Second, eliminate all of the other rogue Parakali in the known universe, so no one else has the chance of getting infected by them. Third, restore reality to the way everything was before you were possessed, while also reviving everyone who died at Peach's Castle."

"That is a rather simple list of requests…But you know, since I caused you so much trouble with my rather ludicrous behavior, I can also throw in any extra requests if you want. Like say, perhaps…Bringing back anyone else besides the ones you requested?" "No, that's alright. I think it would be disrespectful to bring back anyone else against their will." My response was swift, since no thoughts needed to be churned out in order to answer that question. With a light chuckle, the reality bender said to me "Fair enough, I just thought I'd throw the offer out there. Now then, watch and be amazed as everything is returned to the way it should be…Minus a few of my own alterations, of course."

And Mr. Reality did just that. With a masterful weaving of words and a graceful ballet of his own lips, I could feel my own flesh and blood returning as the light dispersed from my rejuvenated skin and scattered into the blade of my sword, which returned to my right hand and my appearance was relegated back into its original state of existence. The time barrier around me shattered, but instead of staying the restored depths of space I was back in the central room of the Light Citadel with Mr. Reality standing in front of me with his hands floating alongside him. It was incredible to think that it was as easy as that to restore everything to its proper state, and I had to quickly turn my body around and rush towards the still broken window in order to look down and see Peach's Castle in order to confirm that everything was not just a fleeting dream.

As the sun glistened through the newborn sky, the reality bender's shadow was cast above my head as he floated out of the citadel and turned around to look down upon me. "Well, everything is back to the way it was, as I said I would do. Once again, I offer my deepest apologies for everything that I have done to both you and the populace." As soon as he mentioned the people, a quick question popped into my head, and as I tilted my head and looked at him with a couple curious blinks of the eyelids, I asked him "Say, does everyone still remember what happened after you got possessed?" The alien nodded his head once in response.

"I'd rather not try and hide my crimes here…Hence why I'm also going to make my way off the planet as soon as possible, otherwise that Commander Alpha of yours will try and blast me into oblivion…Which is not to say that the other heroes won't likely try and do the same thing. Either way, my presence is no longer required here, so I shall take my leave…As should you, for in my last act I timed the Light Citadel to return to its original location, and I'd rather you not end up there and get lost. But before I do depart, I have a slight warning to give to you…" Changing his tone from cheerful to oddly foreboding, the alien arched his eyebrow and glared at me.

"When I first gained my powers, apparently whatever gave them to me through the orb made a universal law that anyone can survive having their head cut off from the rest of their body, just to make sure that I would survive the erasure of my physical form. So if any evildoers requires you to cut their head off in order to defeat them, make sure to destroy the head fully instead. Anyways, with that little warning, I shall bid you adieu for now, Overlord Mewmaster, and wish you luck on your future journeys…" With a bow of his head and a thank you received from me, Mr. Reality flew up into the air, his figure becoming smaller and smaller until he exit's the atmosphere of the planet and leaves my sight for now.

"Sigh…Well, I guess that takes care of that…" With a happy smile on my face, and a feeling of relief that everything had been resolved without having to kill the reality bender I leaped out the windowpane and flew forward through the air as a quick turn of the head allowed me to see the Light Citadel vanish after its form had been covered completely in white light. Not long after I witnessed the disappearance of the Light Citadel, I heard a voice calling to me from my right ear. _"Mew…Holy crap…Mew, I-I don't know what happened…But everything is back to normal…And…Oh my god…I just can't believe that everyone is alive again…I-I don't know what to say here."_ It was Alpha, who was showing clear signs of sheer disbelief in his voice as everything became incomprehensible to him.

"Hehehe…" I got a good laugh out of Alpha's behavior as I continued to fly past the edge of Toad Town towards the direction of Mario's house. "Don't worry Alpha, Mr. Reality just restored everything…its a long story honestly, and I'll have to tell you about it later, alright?" _"…So you managed to free him from whatever beast grabbed him in the first place? Then tell me, where is he now?" _Alpha asked me that question in a stern tone of voice, as if he knew that I was hiding a truth from him. "Umm…Well, I basically let him go return to his home planet. BUT BEFORE YOU GET MAD AT ME, I have a perfectly good reason for-" _"Its alright, I don't need an explanation."_

As I preemptively panicked at what I felt would be Alpha's reaction, the Commander surprised me by giving me a calm and empathetic response. "Huh?" I said to express my shock. _"Look, its up to you as the Elemental Overlord to decide whether someone deserves to be punished for whatever it is they do. If you let Mr. Reality go, then I would like to believe that you did so for an entirely good reason. Either way, I can see you flying through the sky towards Mario's house right now, so I'll tell them to head over to greet you. As for me and Gemini, we are going to go find whatever scraps of the Battleship we can and head back to the base to get re-organized and help with the planet's recovery…Until the next time we meet, enjoy this brand new day of ours…"_

Alpha signed off, and after being pleasantly surprised by how our conversation turned out, I kept a brimming smile on my face and continued to fly on ahead with the house's roof appearing above the trees only a few feet away. As I began to descend, I just felt incredibly happy to be coming back to this house after what felt like months worth of work. I would be able to live with Driad and the others in peace for quite some time, even if I would have to expend a great amount of effort in trying to figure out a cure to Mr. Reality's Parakali problem…Still, as I landed on the ground just twenty feet away from the front porch, I felt something nagging at my mind, as if there was still a loose end I had failed to tie up in the preceding events. As I nudged my facial features around and thought deeply about this supposed problem, I asked myself "What could I be forgetting?"

"Gaia Temporis, Freeze." Those three words, spoken by a voice so familiar that it instantly broke my train of thought as the area around me was suddenly covered in a light-blue veil. I lifted my head up and looked in front of the steps to Mario's house to see the one responsible for this effect standing before me. His cloak was tattered, his body bruised and his expression vacant except for his angered glare, but I knew that above all else it was Alex Whiter, my original, who had been standing there waiting for me for quite some time. As I became grasped by the hand of confusion, Alex opened his lips up and said with a rather serious tone of voice "Mew, we need to talk."

_Next Time: From a Different Perspective_


	45. Final Chapter

**Author's Note:  
**

**Epilogue shall be up either later today or tomorrow.  
**

* * *

**Final Chapter: The Phoenix of Destruction**

The temple roof has been scorched black in multiple locations by the crest of my flames, some cinders still burning lightly as I continue to engage the Reaper in combat. The illusion of Joe Dark had fallen long ago, his decaying body spread out near the edge of the rooftop as the dark particles from his body rise up into the blackening sky. I take my curved blade and deflect a blow from the Reaper's scythe, paying close attention to the being's left arm as he holds his gun below the swing and fires a deathly red shot my way. I counter the projectile with a swift movement of my left hand to the front of my chest, using a streaming net of electricity to absorb the brunt of the impact as the metal from the Reaper's scythe clings against my flaming blade and sends fire across the air as I am knocked back a few feet.

As I work up a sweat in the heat of battle, I pant a few times and brush a budding flame off of the side of my cloak without bringing attention towards it with my eyes. The Reaper recomposes himself, his tattered cloak swinging across the air as his arms move towards the sides of his body and he refills his gun's ammunition with one ghastly pull of the trigger. As the chink of metal against the metal alerted me of the bullet being loaded up inside of the barrel, I quickly flung my left hand forward and sent a rupture through the ground below me, which could easily be predicted by the large crack that was forming along the roof.

The Reaper flew to the right, his weapons being dragged through the air in front of him as I point my right finger at the gun's barrel above my sword's handle and launch a quick bolt of electricity while the being was distracted with my previous attack. After slipping between the metal lip, my projectile keeps bouncing back and forth along the metal interior until it slips behind the bullet and reaches the spectral gunpowder behind it and ignites it. Within seconds, as the Reaper reacts unpleasantly to the activity going on inside of his weapon and I smirk in the name of a confident victory, the gun explodes all at once as the being is forced to release his grip on it so the ensuing storm of metal shrapnel doesn't become impaled in the only flesh on his body.

As the Reaper escapes through the edge of the cloud of smoke he holds his ghastly hand into the air and draws forth a second scythe into his grasp, his irritation prominent in the way his eyebrow has been arched as he suspends his flight and turns towards me. _"I must admit, I am both surprised yet annoyed over the fact that a mere human, even one with powers such as yours, has managed to give me such a hard time." _He said in a hollow tone of voice as he swung his scythes towards the ground and caused a bit of dirt to rise up in miniature plumes upon impact. With my sword gripped in both hands as it was held out beside me, I close my eyelids for a moment and chuckle lightly at the Reaper's comment before asking him "And just why are you so annoyed by the fight I'm putting up?"

"_Because if people like you are able to easily put up a fight against a bringer of death such as myself, then the point of my existence is invalidated. The last thing I want is to deal with more immortals in this universe, hence why your defiance is so detrimental to me, Phoenix of Destruction. Besides, even though you can stand against me, you lack the means of which to end my own existence…You will never escape this area, your life shall eventually be mine…" _As the Reaper finished his sentence and readied his scythes, a powerful chill coated the air and coaxed out a series of goosebumps across my skin, and with one breath a ghastly fog emerges from between my lips.

I stayed calm though, reacting with one steady raise of the eyebrows before staring fiercely at the Reaper and rebutting his words with a bold declaration. "I'll be here for as long as it takes for my clone to stop the reality bender; however, you can be certain that I'll take care of you long before then, so come at me with everything you got!" As I too readied my weapon to continue the battle with the Reaper, I kept my hopes in my clone's victory against the alien, for while I wished to beat my opponent in battle I knew deep down that I was fighting a futile battle against one of the many fragments of Death itself.

Even with my body damaged all-around, I had all of my forms at my command to change into to heal myself up and keep dragging the battle on for as long as was necessary. In fact, with the Reaper's change in weaponry I considered going into my Wind empowered form if only to match his weapons. As I thought about the prospect for a few seconds, my fingers already began to move towards the grey trigger on my sword with the Reaper easily noticing my movements and slowly beginning to raise his right scythe into the air to attack me. But without any plausible explanation at the moment, the being stops raising his arm at the halfway point and immediately dispels his weapons by decaying their forms until they are nothing more than rusted mist that slips back into his sleeves. _"Hehehe…" _The Reaper closes his eyelid partially and lets a slow, eerie laugh echo out of his mouth.

Disturbed by the sudden change in behavior that the being had took, I straighten my body and look at the Reaper in confusion, trying to keep my composure as I ask him "What's so funny?" _"It seems my predicament shall be solved for me in the most sensible of ways…Tell me, how does it feel knowing that your copy has failed?" _The Reaper's words took me entirely off-guard, and as I flinched in reaction to them I said in response "What do you mean by-" I was interrupted though, by the sudden, unhinging tremors that shook the area to its core. The air was also afflicted with these unending tremors, and as I looked around the roof began to deteriorate rapidly.

Looking back at the ghoul, I watch as he calmly yet eerily laughs in the middle of the air. _"Do you not feel the tremors around you? The very end of reality has begun, brought on by your clone's own failure…And soon, everyone both mortal and immortal shall be wiped from existence, leaving me without a reason to worry about you anymore." _"T-That's insane, you'll be wiped from existence too if that's the case!" I pointed out, stuttering as the Reaper calmly spoke to me. _"Hehehe….Do you not understand? I am not of this reality…I am an aspect of Death born in the depths of the Midnight Channel, and therefore I will continue to exist in the original dimension as the spell on this area of the citadel vanishes without a trace. I will survive forevermore, and your consciousness shall slip away within a microsecond of your final moments. Hahaha…Til we never meet again, Phoenix of Destruction…"_

As the Reaper once again referred to me by a title similar to the one he gave my replica, his body vanished from sight as the area around me continue to crumble away without any hope of saving it. I had no idea as to what was going on in the outside world, but if what he said was true then it was because of my clone that this situation was happening in the first place. I stood still amongst the endless tearing of reality, waiting for the moment when my body would fade away, knowing that I wouldn't even realize that this event had occurred once it does. The ground crumbles under my feet, and my body plummets down the empty abyss for what feels like forever. I watch the sky shatter into pieces as I helplessly hold my left hand into the air in hopes that someone would grab onto it and haul me up from this void. As it turns out though, nothing happens besides everything finally vanishing for-

-good….

I am stunned, my heartbeat picking back up again as I am suspiciously on my back with the cold wetness of dew drops rubbing against the back of my cloak and scalp with my left hand still raised towards the now sunny sky above. I thrust my body up as quickly as I possibly could, my eyes widened immensely as I look around and see that everything is back to the way it was before. Peach's Castle had been restored, and reality was back as if it had never been lost in the first place. I placed my right hand against the side of my head, a light throbbing sensation pounding against the skull as I take a few steady breathes and wonder what the hell happened for me to end up back here.

I lifted my head up and looked at the Light Citadel, which had most of its luster returned. However, I was unable to look at it for long as a bright light covered it and the building vanished from sight forever, my head being forced to turn itself to avoid being blinded by the radiating glow. As I looked back up a few seconds later, I saw a familiar figure flying through the air away from where the Light Citadel used to be. It was my replica, who was still alive despite what the Reaper implied would be the case. "He must have saved reality…But…Where is he going now?" As I was proud of my clone and a smile etched itself across my face, I turned my head around and saw his body moving over the forest in a direction I rather did not want to see him going towards.

As my smile turned into a panicked grin, I pulled my body up off the ground and quickly bolted towards the forest without a care spent towards my injuries. My clone was heading to Mario's house, and I greatly feared that after everything that had happened he would confirm to everyone that I was still alive. As I bobbed and weaved through the trees branches with only a couple lone pieces of bark scrapping against my vulnerable arms I said to myself "I can't let him reveal anything, because I'm just simply not done fighting my inner demons yet…And he still has the Gaia Temporis too, I need to retrieve that from him before the original Overlord's spirit finds me…It seems I may end up having no choice in the matter…" As I neared Mario's house beyond the thicket of trees, I slipped my right glove into the single pocket in my cloak, reaching for a miniature gun that I had put together with the help of some blueprints from E. Gadd's lab.

I crossed my eyelids together and leapt through the final set of trees, sticking my landing and making it to the front of Mario's porch as I turned around and looked up to see my clone descending towards the ground. I waited a few seconds to calmly catch my breath, and when I had done so I took advantage of the relic in my clone's pocket by uttering three words "Gaia Temporis, Freeze." With my voice reaching out to him along with the sudden stopping of time around us, my clone turns to me and notes my appearance with his eyes widening briefly in shock. I glare at him in slight annoyance, and after a few seconds I say to him "Mew, we need to talk."

He is the first one to make a comment after that, after straightening his body he takes a couple steps forward and holds his left hand out beside his hip, saying to me gently yet nervously "A-Alex, what are you doing here?" "I came back for my Gaia Temporis, since clearly that reality bender has been dealt with." I held my left hand out in front of my body, wiggling the fingers upward a couple of times as I waited for my replica to hand over the relic without so much as a tussle. He blinked his eyelids a few times, those moments obviously spent in thought before he slips his right hand into his pockets and pulls the relic out, all the while saying to me "Yeah, I guess that's only fair…Honestly, after you came to my rescue back at the Light Citadel, I think you deserve to have this back…"

He then flings the Gaia Temporis back into my hand, and with a firm grip around the spherical surface I tuck the relic away into my single pocket before looking at my clone with one eyebrow raised and asking him "And just what is that supposed to mean?" I knew the answer already, but wished to hear it from the mouth of my clone. He smiled for a moment in an attempt to hide his nervousness, but quickly departed from that expression as he chuckled and said "Well, after how sour our prior meeting was, I thought you weren't really worthy of having the Time Stone's powers, so I planned to keep it for myself…But honestly, you seem to be doing just fine with your whole 'inner demons' ordeal, so much in fact that…Well…"

My clone paused for a moment, his head tilting downward to the right as he took his opposite hand and rubbed the back of his scalp nervously for a moment. As I raised my eyebrows in anticipation for the continuation of his sentence, my replica looked back up at me and with a kind-hearted smile he says "I was just thinking…Perhaps you would like to consider coming back with me so you can be part of this world again? Be part of a family with me, Driad, Mario and Luigi…Or even better, we can team up and take care of the Chief of the F.B.I. back on Earth, if that would make it easier for you to live here on Plit…Alex, I'm not going to tell them about you unless you want me to, so this decision rests entirely on your shoulders, not mine…"

My clone's offer was genuine, and I could see it all in the way he innocently stared at me with a smile on his face and his right hand held out in front of his chest. But everything he said was just a big reminder of what I foolishly let him know about throughout his short time on the planet. I shouldn't have told him the truth about my past, for the matter of the Chief is something I wish to deal with myself, there is no reason for Mew to ruin his life getting involved with what is my own fight. I turned my head to the side and solemnly shut my eyelids partway, feeling sorry for my clone's enthusiastic desire to ignore what the world truly was just so we could live a life in peace.

"Hey wait a second…Why do you have your right hand in that pocket there?" Mew's sudden, somewhat concerned inquiry got me to snap out of my current emotional state in order to look up and realize that my arm was still inside of the cloak pocket. With my fingers still wrapped around the gun, I pulled it out and held it out beside me with a casual stance, looking straight at my clone as his eyes widen and he stutters out a response "W-What are you doing with that gun?" He clearly didn't recognize it, which I found rather odd considering the fact that he was at E. Gadd's lab a while ago. I decided to make up a reason on the spot while keeping my composure.

I looked at my clone first and foremost, waving the gun around as I shrugged my shoulders and said to him "I found a neutralizing gun that I was planning on using in case you tried to resist giving me back the Gaia Temporis, but seeing as you gave it back I'll just have to put it back where I found it later on." After my false explanation had been given with my clone calming himself down and seeing no reason to be concerned about my gun for the time being, I walked over my clone, stopping two feet away from his body and holding my left hand out so I could pat him twice on the shoulder.

He was surprised by my show of affection, and after turning to look at my hand he looks at me while I falsify a smile and say to him "Mew, I'm really glad you've made an identity for yourself and have found a place in this world amongst my old allies…But I will have to refuse your kind request for the time being, because I'm just not ready to settle down when I still have much left to conquer inside of myself…And really, I'm sorry that I got you involved in my own affairs, but not as sorry as I shall be after this moment…If we ever meet each other again, I hope you can bring yourself to forgive me for this…" As I ended my sentence on a melancholy note, Mew looks at me with a look of utter shock, but the widening of his eyes becomes permanent for ten seconds as I take control of his mind and tell it to knock him unconscious.

As his eyelids close shut, I pull my arm away and watch as his muscles become limp and he falls backwards without so much as a word. Within seconds of my action being performed, Mew collapses against the ground with a quiet thud, his arms held beside his hips as his face shows no emotions. I take one step forward, looking down at his my clone's unconscious body with a solemn frown on my face and a single teardrop flowing out of my right eye all on its own. The attempt to inflict guilt upon me was futile though, for now that I had gone this far I had to finish what I started before my clone woke up and saw me still standing above him. There would be too many questions and emotions to deal with if that were to happen…

I kneeled down, taking my left hand and applying the bare skin of my fingers on the crest of my clone's forehead, closing my eyelids and focusing as hard as I could on the innermost confines of his memories as yet another tear forces itself through the crease in my left eyebrow. "God forgive me for what I'm about to do…" I said quietly as I began to flush through the memories of Mew's journey here one after the other, sealing them away in the deepest reaches of his subconscious so he would never again recall them unless I willed it to happen. As each one flashed on by against my closed eyelids, there were a couple of ones that were rather poignant in their appearance, particularly those related to my young friend Driad.

The tears came through rather quickly afterwards, as I sniffled and said to myself in a guilt-ridden tone that was reflective of what my clone would say if he could feel his memories being forgotten "I-I'm really doing this…I'm really taking this away from Mew…After…After all he went through I'm going to take this way…" I tried to shake my head, but it refused to budge as I thought to myself soon afterwards "I-I have to do this for Mew's own good…He can't be a part of my troubles…I-I'm doing the right thing here…No, no I'm not…But it can't be helped now…I-I've finished…" Opening my eyelids to be welcomed by the blurry vision brought on by the teardrops, I slowly withdraw my trembling hand away from Mew's forehead. Even though his memories have been sealed away, I have made sure that his current personality will remain the same, something I did to owe up for what I have done in whatever little way I could manage to…

However, as I dug into Mew's mind, I also noticed the light energy reserve from the Overlord's citadel floating amongst the inner workings of his subconscious. Fearing that the activation of that form would reawaken his memories, I sealed the reserve away behind an emotional barrier that would only break if my clone experienced a period of prolonged yet immense sadness. And even if he activated his Light Form after breaking that barrier, he wouldn't remember a thing…It was all for the best…That's what I had to keep telling myself as I wiped my tears away on my right sleeve and got back onto my feet. I took the gun in my right hand and looked at the controls. Remembering what I saw on the blueprints, I operated the device so the coordinates would be set for the outside of my former house.

As I did so though, I bent forward slightly to peer at the text just to make sure that everything was in order, only to be great by an unholy chill in the air that vanished within a millisecond of its appearance. The subdued laugh that followed it lingered for much longer, leaving me to slowly raise my head as I sense a rather dark presence in the immediate area. I turn my head around, trying my hardest to seek the source of the eerie sensation only for nothing to come up. "W-What was that? …And why did it feel so similar to that of the Dark King's presence?" As I created questions that would never be answered by my own observation, I looked up and saw a bright light descending from the sky above.

It was the original Overlord's spirit, which levitated in the air twelve feet above my clone's body as I could feel an irritated aura exuding from the formless being. _"…What have you done here, Alex?" _He asked with little patience in his tone of voice. As I looked up at him with a bit of fear and sadness in my eyes, I said to him "I…I used my powers to modify Mew's subconscious so he'd forget the events of this journey…I also removed his Light Form and was planning to send him back to Earth right now." _"…That is not ethically correct, and not something I approve of…However, seeing as I was not in your body when the event occurred, I shall let your misdemeanor slide just this once, with but a warning that there will one day be consequences for your decision…" _

The spirit sternly gave me his message, and I solemnly replied by saying "Yeah…I know that…" With a guilty turn of my head to the right, the spirit lowered himself and I looked back his way. "So, where have you been all this time?" _"Everywhere, my young successor…After the reality bender separated me and the Genesis Samurai's spirits from your body, I wandered about the spiritual plane, watching and guiding the young Mew from afar while tending to other affairs to ensure that reality would not be permanently wiped out. Luckily, thanks to some words with the higher-ups, pre-emptive measures have been taken in other timelines in order to make sure that this event doesn't cause reality to be destroyed in them as well."_

"Well that's good to hear…Speaking of which, what causes reality to be destroyed in the first place?" I decided to ask my spiritual guide, and he quickly yet solemnly answers the question _"The parasites I sealed away in the Light Citadel called the Parakali possessed the reality bender and used his powers and innermost desires to try and recreate the universe by erasing the old one." _"I…I see…" Admittedly, hearing the Overlord reveal this secret to me was a bit unnerving, especially since with the Parakali, Apocalypse Royale and the Dark King's spirit all being held secret from me despite the Overlord being one with my body, I had to wonder if there wasn't anything else he was hiding from me, specifically when I thought back to the tablets in the Origin Temple.

"…Anything else you want to let me know about?" I sternly asked with my head turned away from the spirit. _"Yes…The reality bender wiped away all other traces of the Parakali from this universe, so the only one that exists is the one in his mind." _I could tell the Overlord knew what I was really asking from him, but was being elusive on the subject either because he wasn't allowed to speak of those things or he refused to say anything. With a light sigh, I turned my head towards the Overlord's spirit and said to him "Ok, then can I ask you something that piqued my curiosity just recently?" _"Absolutely." _He said without hesitation.

"What is up with Mew having a light energy reserve inside of his mind? I thought there were only seven elements, so why did you lie to me on that end?" _"…Sigh. Understand where I am coming from when I say this, Alex, but there are many things out there that can't be revealed so easily as you wish for them to be. But as far as the Light Citadel goes, I can shed some information on that. You see, while I control the other seven elements, my primary one has and always shall be the light in its purest magnificence…However, I could not let that power be so easily accessed compared to the other seven, for if such pure light is corrupted without a balance then evil shall truly reign over the universe…Therefore, it was necessary to take as many measures as needed in order to prevent anyone impure from reaching the energy reserve."_

"_I set up a whole manner of traps and obstacles to deal with every type of foe imaginable, and even if they somehow managed to make it to the end, anyone judged unworthy of the power of light would become infected by an unrestrained Parakali parasite and be forced to wander the world forever. Anyone judged worthy though would forever be protected by their possession and be given the light energy reserve to protect the balance of light forevermore. And no, I did not set up things so it would only work for my successors…Anyone worthy enough would have been able to take the energy reserve besides you and Mew."_ As the Elemental Overlord finished his explanation, I just tapped my left fingers against my chin and said to myself "I see…Well, I got no more questions to ask you right now."

I say that simply because of the fact that my clone was starting to move, and I needed to hurry and return him back to Earth before he woke up and saw me. Without another word, I nodded my head towards the Overlord's spirit as he slipped back into my body. With the coordinates set, I aimed my gun at Mew's body, and with my only shot I would open up a portal that would remove him from my sight quite possibly forever. I trembled as my fingers went near the trigger. I have pulled triggers many times before, but never has one been as hard to pull as this is right now. But I had to do it…I had no choice in the matter now…

I take the shot, a distortional bolt of energy flying through the air and phasing right through my clone's chest until it hits the ground below. A dark-blue portal opens up, and my clone's body slowly falls through the gap that was created. As his figure became smaller with each passing second, the gun short-circuits in my hand, and it is only via the protection of my glove that the sparks don't single my skin. It was still complete, and I decided I would find a way to get rid of the device later. As a single teardrop falls from my eye and through the closing portal, I silently turn to the left and close my eyelids, and with one word I break the spell constricting time and walk away from Mario's house before anyone comes and sees that I had been there….

…...

….The birds are chirping cheerfully, and the bright rays of the morning sun are slipping between my eyelids and waking me from my rather cozy nap. I open my eyelids up and take in the fresh mountain air through my nostrils, enjoying the pleasurable sensation as I lift my body up off of the wet grass and feeling a bit of pain in my backside. "Augh…I must have been laying down incorrectly…Oh well, nothing a brisk walk and some stretches won't cure…" I say to myself as I swing my stiff arms back and forth while alternating which hands are wrapped around my elbows. "Bleh, I can't wait for that picnic in a few days…Its been really boring around here lately and I'd really like for something different to clear away this feeling of stagnation…"

As I mused to myself and stood up straight, I suddenly felt a drop of liquid trickling down the side of my right cheek. It was weird to feel that as I knew that this drop didn't originate from my tear ducts…I wiped the drop from my face with a graceful draw of my left hand across my face and held it up to eye level before it could slip between my fingers. "Wonder where this came from…" I thought about the origin of this droplet for a bit, only for everything to go silent and a genuine teardrop began to trickle out of my right eye, and my happiness was suddenly replaced with sadness that I had no way of understanding just why it was there…All I knew though, as I stood there by myself, was that it felt as though I had really let someone down today…And I couldn't even remember either the name or face of the person in question…I continued to stand there, and subconsciously I said to myself… "I…I didn't mean to fail you…Little brother…"

**Part 3: Reality's Game.**

**THE END**


	46. The Epilogue

**Author's Note:  
**

**The Extra Chapter shall be up in three to four days, mainly because of all the questions and thoughts I have to answer and write after the chapter itself.  
**

* * *

**Epilogue: The Dark King Returns**

It is night time on the world of Plit. Everyone has sunk into a deep slumber as the chilling winds sway the blades of grass to and fro gently on the outside of their houses. The moon is full and shining brightly above the pale night sky, which has a few fog-like clouds spread about to cast an eerie yet relaxing atmosphere across the world. The people of the world would find solace over the fact that they were able to see that beautiful celestial object in all of its glory once more, especially considering the troubles that could have permanently left them without an existence just a few days ago. But as they slipped into a state of nirvana below their wrinkled bed sheets, little did they know that as they fell asleep, one familiar to many both friend and foe would awaken from what should have been an eternal slumber….

Amidst the rubble of was once a glorious and proud monument of the Elemental Overlord's existence lies a skeleton with a bone structure resembling that of a human's. The flesh and muscle tissue has all but decayed off by now, where it all rests upon the ground, unconsumed by anyone. The jaw is cracked open, for the last moments of this human was spent cursing the name of his slayer, Alex Whiter. The skeleton laid there, alone and unnoticed by anyone of this mortal world. However, there was one who wished for him to be revived, one whose malice was so great that it defied the laws of death and life and allowed him to continue pursuing his goals even though his host body had been obliterated.

It was the original Dark King, whose innermost desire is to see his antithesis mangled before his very eyes for reasons only a few select beings have truly laid witness to with their ears. As time ticked down towards the dawn of midnight's hour, the black drenched spirit floats out from an otherworldly void on the precipice of the ruin's barrier, a pair of ghastly, glowing yellow eyes slipping through the shroud of darkness as a somber yet deep growl cracks through his fanged mouth. With a rather serpentine descent, the spirit makes his way to the skeletal remains of his former host and slips in to where the chest cavity used to be.

With a turn of his body, the spirit begins to chant an unholy series of words that would be found deaf in the ears of anyone but his own kin. In seconds darkness leaks out from his spiritual body, flowing out across the bones in the form of many ethereal trails that weave across the legs, arms and skull and wrap themselves around the joints tightly. After a firm web of darkness has been formed across the skeleton, the spirit continues to chant at a more rapid pace, his voice filled with ecstasy as the darkness begins to solidify into the form of bone tissue. The thin layer of tissue is meshed together perfectly against the bones, which is then quickly joined by the growth of muscle tissue and flesh.

Eventually, as the Dark King's spirit is hidden away under the layers of flesh growing around him, skin and hairs begin to grow into place along the body while the necessary organs grow cell by cell inside of the skeleton. The spirit slips into the slowly growing, conscious mind of the human as the effects of his ritual continue to go without his words to guide them. The jaw is forcibly shut, and teeth poke out through the gum lines in a rather bloody fashion. The eyes grow into the sockets, but they are kept hidden behind the sealed eyelids for the time being. A familiar, bowl cut black hairstyle grows on top of the scalp, strands of hair coming out in front of the ears to create something similar to a half-sideburn as the rest of his hair lays out behind his head.

As clothes spawn from the darkness to cover his bare body, the right fingers begin to twitch to signify life in the human, and with a light grumble through the lips the eyelids quiver and slowly creak open. The first thing the boy is greeted by is the bright ray of the night moon hanging high above his head, but instead of flinching he gazes towards it with the light reflecting ominously off of his crimson eyes. With stiffness in all of his muscles, the boy pulls himself slowly off the ground, the juice from his regenerating flesh plastered against the back of his brown, skull-faced sleeveless shirt as he takes his right hand and rubs the throbbing skin of his forehead with a pinching motion.

"W-What the hell is going on here…I-I should be dead, shouldn't I?" The first words that came out of the boy's mouth left him both confused yet strangely relieved, for though he knew that it was his voice slipping out through his lips the tone sounded a bit deeper than he once remembered it to be. The changes did not stop there though, for as he got to his feet he nearly tumbled backwards, his weight having increased and his body having not yet adjusted to those changes. He kneels down slightly in order to keep himself balanced, with one hand being used to help with his support. "This can't be right…I-Is this truly my body?" He knew who he was, that he was in fact the real Joe Dark brought back from the dead, but he just couldn't believe that he was alive after how thorough his demise was.

"_Welcome back to the world of the living, Joe Dark." _A menacing voice echoes within the confines of the boy's mind, and as his brain pounds against his skull the familiar abyssal spirit of the Dark King splits from his head and floats beside him as he turns to look at him with blatant disgust. "Oh…Its YOU." Sensing his host's obvious hostility, which makes sense considering what he had attempted to do in the past, the Dark King smirks through the blanket of darkness surrounding him and says to his vessel in a more relaxed tone of voice _"You should show more curtsy to me child, for it was only through my efforts that you were made whole again."_

As the Dark King reached into the deepest reaches of his black soul in order to show kindness in hopes of it being returned, Joe Dark turns his body away from the spirit with a scowl present just a second before his expression escapes his sight. "Do you think I really wanted to be revived? Even if I was subjected to the truest horrors that Hell had to offer, I very much preferred it in comparison to having to share my body with a loathsome shadow of the past such as yourself…Especially since even with all the power you gave me, I was unable to take my revenge on that foolish Whiter…" The boy folded his arms in front of his chest, his body feeling cold for the first time in a while as his words are filled with nothing but quiet scorn towards the original Dark King.

"_Yes, it was rather, unfortunate, to say the least that the cursed new Elemental Overlord succeeded against you…But beings of our nature cannot simply falter to the hands of death when our hatred still lingers, and seeing as I had the means of which to revive you I figured I would do so simply so you would be allowed another chance to kill the one you despite so deeply." _"…There are a lot of questions I begrudgingly want to ask you just because of those few sentences alone, so I shall start from the beginning…" Removing the scorn from his voice for a few moments, Joe Dark turns around and faces the spirit of the Dark King with his eyelids slanted to give him a more focused glare. "The matter of the revival, for starters…"

"_Hehehe…I am not expecting you to show any gratitude towards the lengths of which I went to bring you back, but I shall reveal the details to you nonetheless. You see, to bring you back to life I had to gather up a vast quantity of darkness from the world that the person died on to use as a bartering tool with the guardsman to the Chasm of the Dead. The process took quite a long time, for darkness is not something that is found very often on this wretchedly peaceful planet…I managed to fill three-quarters of the required quota thanks to an explosion of darkness created by the destruction of that witch's blasphemous copy of the new Elemental Overlord, but it took yet another year after that for a new source of darkness to appear in this world. A gigantic beast with a draconic appearance appeared above the Overlord's citadel of light, its body surrounded by the ghoulish flames of a thousand dying black souls. Extracting the pure darkness from those flames allowed me to fulfill the request of the guardsman. After taking your soul from the Chasm, I took whatever darkness was left over from my earlier extraction and used it to recreate your body and infuse your soul back into it."_

There were only two words that resounded within Joe Dark's mind by the time the Dark King finished his chilling explanation. Repeating them slowly and quietly with a tone of shock, the boy unfurls his arms from his chest and thinks long and hard about the gap in time between his death and revival, and couldn't bear to think about how long it may have been since he saw the world around him. "How long has it been since I died?!" The boy fervently asks the abysmal spirit as he lifts his head up in desperation. _"It has been a year and three months…Give or take a few days. I made sure to adjust your body so it would match the physical appearance of what you should look like at your current age." _"A…Year and three months…" Joe Dark was absolutely devastated upon learning that he had been dead for that long. Even a month felt like a ridiculous length of time, but a year…

As the revelation that everything around him would have changed immensely, and the irritating truth that his foe Whiter had likely gotten stronger as well during his absence in the world. "…You wasted your time, Dark King…" Joe Dark says with a hint of depression in his voice as he turns away from the spirit and takes a few steps across the delicate rocks below his feet, taking a solemn look across the place where he once fought his longtime foe before he stops in place upon hearing the Dark King address him once more. _"Hehehe…And why is that, Joe Dark?" _"I couldn't beat Whiter before, and now he has likely become stronger…I have no chance to win now, so all you have done is brought me back to die once more…"

"_Hah…Words of surrender? I shall admit, I never expected you to discard that rampant, bloodthirsty drive of yours for even a millisecond…After all, it was because of that very desire to kill the one you loathed that I was able to find you in the first place…And besides, do you think that I would revive you if I did not have a plan in mind to make you far stronger than you were before?" _That last sentence caught Joe Dark's interest, much to the malicious joy of the Dark King as he turns around and stares at him with one eye. "Go on…" He says, slowly urging the spirit to continue on with his explanation as a smile creaks open across the front of the spirit's black body.

"_First, I feel I should mention this to you since it relates to my plan…You see, though I brought you back from the dead, I wasn't able to return you to the full level of power you had been granted once before via my possession…But there is an easy way to not only regain that form, but also increase the strength of it tenfold. Remember how the Elemental Overlord absorbed the spirits of the Inner Guardians and gained the ability to access my antithesis' Phoenix Form long before he logically should have had it? While the Elemental Overlord has the ability to absorb pure sources of elemental energy in order to increase his strength, so to is it that you can absorb all manners of negative energy in order to increase yours."_

Intrigued by the prospects of what the Dark King was bringing to his attention, the boy creaked his lips open to reveal his overjoyed, sadistic smile as a renewed sense of determination appeared in his widening eyes. "Hehehe…Now then, I'm liking the sounds of this plan of yours…But how do you expect us to go about it, especially when you yourself stated that this planet was not very rich in darkness?" _"Come now, surely it isn't hard to think of an answer to your own question there, is it? Plit and Earth are not the only worlds in this grand universe, and with the Hands having been slain just recently there is no one around in existence to stop us from departing to other worlds and finding reservoirs of darkness there."_

"And is there any world you have in mind, phantom?" The boy inquiries with a grin of intrigue present on his eagerly raised face. _"As a matter of fact, there was one particular world that I had visited in my past life that had many objects from which negative energy could be drawn from. Tell me, my child, have you ever heard of the seven Chaos Emeralds?" _The familiarity of the objects mentioned by the Dark King ringed deeply in Joe Dark's memories, and with his arms held out to the sides of his body he looked at the spirit and said to him with honesty "Yes, I do believe I have." _"Then let us not waste any time, shall we? We have a vast universe to traverse, and though it shall take a while the journey will be worth it…."_

As the spirit of the Dark King ended his sentence and began to slip back into the body of Joe Dark, the boy crouched slightly and looked towards the moonlit sky as it struck midnight exactly. "So…You promise not to possess me this time around?" He then asked the spirit with a morbid sense of curiosity. _"You have my word. You shall be in full control of your body at all times, even if for some reason you fail to best the Elemental Overlord. Consider me to be nothing more than a guide from the underworld, and we shall get along just fine." _With a smirk of excitement over what the Dark King genuinely promised to him, Joe Dark looked back up towards the sky and said in a quiet tone "Alright then, lets get moving…" With a powerful leap and a thrust of his body, Joe Dark pierced through the sky with darkness trailing closely behind him, unnoticed by the sleeping populace as his echoing laugh slowly faded out as he broke through the planet's atmosphere and prepared to travel through the vast depths of space beyond…

_To Be Continued_


	47. Extra Chapter and Afterthoughts

**Reality's Game Extra Chapter: A Monster Freed Back Into the Universe **

"_For treason against the Elemental Overlord, genocide of a thousand species across four known galaxies, the forced collapsing of seven suns that thrust hundreds of planets into a lifeless era of cold and death, and other crimes too numerous to list…You, the second-in-command of the Dark King's forces, have been sentenced to be sealed away within an uninhabited planet's core, bound forever by the seven chains of Genesis until your physical body has been lost and your spirit is forever tortured into nothingness by the resounding energy buried within each and every link. We never expect you to repent for your actions, but we are doing whatever we can to make sure you feel the weight of yours crimes."_

"Yesss…That's right, that's what they said to me before they sealed me away…." A smile creeps out through the hollow darkness of the planet's core, a hiss slipping between his teeth as he speaks to himself before a raspy laugh follows suit. "How hilarious it was of them to think that these chains could make me feel anything but the delicious agony brought on by the chains burning against my blackened soul…To me, this isn't a prison, but rather a paradise the likes of which only Hell itself would surpass…But still, I do so miss the days upon which I could freely wander about the universe…And I only have the memories of the blood dripping across my claws and the screams echoing against my ears to remind me of the torment I once spread…"

The shadowy being, whose form has long since deteriorated into that of a wavy, jet black specter with only a mouth left of his once beastly corporeal body, nudges himself around a few centimeters as the glowing, seething chains spread across the area keep bound his form in the center of the core. Each chain has a color based on the seven core elements of the Elemental Overlord, with a pure white, ethereal chain punctured through his empty chasm of a heart to make sure that he does not escape once he became a phantom. "How long has it been now? A century, a millennium, a million years?"

The spirit of malice counts off the three measurements of time in a sadistically curious tone of voice before his smile grew ever wider and his eyelids slit open to reveal a devilish yellow glow beneath them. "Oh, what does it matter how long it has been now? If an opportunity does indeed arise for me to be freed, there shall always be some form of life in the universe for me to torment…Even if I have to go to certain lengths to make them immortal so my pleasure can be satiated forevermore… " The spirit expressed an inhuman amount of ecstasy in his voice as he spoke of his inevitable future possibilities, and as a growl of excitement slipped through his mouth he looked up into the black void around him and let out a somewhat angered snarl.

"Still, whatever shall I do for a body? I will need to possess someone in order to do anything, but depending on the length of time since my 'imprisonment' my options can either be vast or limited…I do, after all, want a strong host, since weaklings would simply crack under the pressure of my powers over time and I'd have to waste time finding another host body…Hmm, let me think here…That stupid wench that the Elemental Overlord married should still be around, but those cursed drives of hers make it impossible for me to infiltrate her mind…Hmm, perhaps the Elemental Overlord's old friend will have been freed from his imprisonment by now? No, I'm not thinking grand enough…"

The spirit, hating all of his previous options for being too simplistic in nature, grew a powerful, almost chesire-like smile across his face as a grandiose thought brew inside his wicked mind. "Ahahaha…That's perfect…Why bother with his followers, when I can possess the new Elemental Overlord instead?! Assuming his prophecy has come to pass, I should be able to seek out his new host body and take control of it. After all, the higher-ups have forbid him from deeply interfering in his spirit form, so he cannot stop me when I attempt to take residence in his host body's subconscious. Yesss…I like the sound of that. It shall not only be a grand defiance of the will of light, but it shall make the higher-ups regret ever allowing the Overlord to seal his powers away for further use…"

As the malice meticulously enjoyed the splendor of his future schemes, he noticed something amiss with the chains around him, as their glow began to fizzle out and left him with bound in the loosest sense of the word by normal steel chains. The only one that retained its glow was the white one punctured through his chasm of a heart, and even that appeared weakened by the loss of energy around him. "Hmm? Curious…So much for the claim that these chains would keep me in place forevermore…Hehehe…Now I really have to wonder what is going on in the outside world for my restraints to become so weakened…" As ecstasy once again gripped the beast's sadistic mind, he tried to nudge against the chains around them, and found that they budged more than they did every other time he tried to break them.

"Hehehe…" His chilling laugh, heard by no one but himself as it echoed across the walls of the planet's core and returned to his phantasmal ears, spoke volumes about his overzealous yet malicious joy as he began to shift his spectral form back and forth against the chains in hopes of breaking through. "Oh, I think I understand what has happened here…Someone has messed with the Overlord's precious energy reserves and thus weakened the natural flow of elements across the universe. Of course, this means that my attempts at escaping will only be temporary unless I persist…" With a goal set in mind, the spirit of malice begins to struggle against the chains that bind him, his body withering back and forth to make the links hit one another and break the binding between them.

It was not an easy task for one so ethereal as he was, and even after hours worth of effort he only managed to break off one chain just exactly as the greenish glow had returned to its structure. But as he stated before, time was a non-issue to him, for after an unknown two-thousand years had passed since his imprisonment he was willing to wait a few more days in order to break the chains that bound him. But to his surprise and luck, each subsequent chain broke easily in comparison to the one before it, and his smile grew ever more pleased with his progress until all seven chains laid broken and floating in the void around him.

With his body freed of nearly all restraints, the spirit took great pleasure in drawing his ethereal black claws from his phantasm of a body and splitting them into four other hands that wrap themselves around the chain of light in front of him. Only one thing interrupts him as he tries to break free, and that is the sudden erasure and return of reality that goes by so quickly that he is unable to notice it before he continues using his curved limbs to pull the chain away from his body. The nail that is stuck to his ghostly form is kept in place tightly, much to the beast's annoyance. He can feel the sharp pain throbbing throughout his body even now, but he simply relishes in the moment and keeps pulling to intensify the pain.

"Yesss…Keep going, keep going even if my body threatens to fracture into nothing more than pure darkness in this planet's core!" He thrust his head backwards as the sheer ecstasy of his congenial experience began to reach its rather bravura climax, and with a moan of pure delight followed by a laugh of bewildering madness the demon successfully ripped the chain of light from his body as a ghastly yellow liquid burst out from the now open wound before it became as ethereal as everything else on his body. The tainted chain of light loses its luxurious glow and slips out of the grasp of gravity around it, floating towards the roof of the core as the spirit laughs with his claws held out beside him, delighted at the freedom that he is now able to enjoy once more.

His lucid panting decreases until it becomes vapid due to him calming down and looking forward with the full glow of his demonic yellow eyes. He peered through the darkness and saw the underside of the planet he had been trapped in, and with no words and a meager defiance of gravity around him he thrust forward at speeds he could only manage without a body. Within seconds he phased through the planet, a circular plume of black dust being released out from the center of his body before he escapes the atmosphere-less planet and ventures into the cold yet welcoming depths of space.

He looked out towards the stars around, seeing nothing more than another light waiting to be crushed or blotted out with one grasp of his claw. He held his left claw out, imitating the action he wished to perform with a delighted grin on his face before he realized what he had to do now that he had been freed. "Ah yes…Now to figure out how long it has been since I have been sealed away…" He looks around, trying to find a recognizable star and sensing the decay of darkness in proportion to its exposure to the light from the celestial object. "Two-thousand years…Well, it seems as though coincidence is working in my favor today…The new Elemental Overlord must surely be around by now…."

The ghost sniffed the air after making his observation, for if the Overlord was alive then surely there had to be thin traces of the new Dark King's energy as well on whatever planet he may have been on. The demon knew much about the Overlord's plans for his return, and was now using said information in preparation to defile the new container of his legacy. With one final whiff, the demon growls in intense pleasure as he catches a whiff of his former master's lingering scent and he thrusts his head forward to gaze through the darkness and see a single planet out in the center of his vision where the scent came from. "Foundddd you!" He says in a raspy yet gleeful tone of voice.

Without any further words, the spirit lunges his body forward through the expansive depths of space, his claws retracting into his formless blackness as he closes his eyelids and leaves nothing but a smile on his body. "It shall be a glorious prelude to the prolonged death of everything the higher-ups have tried to keep protected…The Overlord will sense my presence for but a brief moment, only to watch in helpless terror as I latch to his subconscious like a fervent parasite and slowly but surely make my form one with his…Oh, I am truly excited to have another chance to rampage across the near-infinite expanse of the universe!"

As the demon once again expressed ecstasy in what it was about to do, it reached the desired planet's atmosphere and instantly noticed that a pale-blue aura had shrouded the planet whole. Recognizing it immediately, he said to himself "So the new Overlord is already in possession of the Gaia Temporis? A pity that the stone was forcibly programmed to be used by only the Elemental Overlord and his kin, otherwise I would take great pleasure in abusing its powers…" With a focused flight towards a specific point on the planet, the demon without a name makes his way towards the source of elemental energy on the surface.

Eventually making his way above a small abode whose simplicity he paid no attention to, he looked down to witness a scene where one cloaked figure was standing above another unknown figure with a gun in his hand. "Oh, so my host is already mentally unstable? Glorious…Simply glorious! And I can't even sense the Overlord's spirit amidst the child's unconsciousness…Such a shame considering how much I wanted to taunt the bastard over my victory, but it is how it is I suppose." Though he is disappointed by the lack of one factor in his new host body, he chooses to accept what fate has handed him before he swoops down from the air and makes his way towards the vulnerable head of the unaware Overlord.

But mere milliseconds before he enters, the boy suddenly ducks his head downwards, making the spirit let out a hissing "No!" as he slips past the body and flies straight into the head of the unconscious person ahead of him, where it thus became impossible for him to escape and make his way back. He is greeted immediately by the black expanse of the boy's mind, where he then proceeds to open his eyelids and stare into the expanse around him, cursing himself repeatedly before he calms himself down and gets a better feel of the power hidden within this person's body.

"Oh…So this child also bears the power of the Elemental Overlord? I did not even know that the new wielder of his legacy was able to replicate himself…Must be a new feature added to the higher-ups' toy…Oh well, not like I would want to use it at all. Still, with this host body being forced unconscious, I'll just quickly make my way to the center of the mind and-" Before he can move an inch, a blinding light cascades through the area, forcing the demon to close its eyelids shut as it lets out a serpentine hiss and its crawls backwards into a small corner of the mind. "Nooooo…." He bemoans in pain as he struggles to look ahead at the glowing sphere of light at the center of the mind. "T-The Overlord's light energy reserve?! That's impossible…This cursed child became worthy of such a thing?! Impossible…Inexcusable! To think that I would become trapped in such a holy, putrid subconscious!"

As the demonic spirit curled against the corner of the mind, angered beyond belief over the fact that he was now stuck in this situation until the host body dies out, he looks at the illuminating glow of the energy reserve and suddenly yet eerily creaks a smile out from his black void of a body. "Maybe it isn't so hopeless after all…After all, to keep the darkness erasing purity of the energy reserve intact, one has to remain pure in their emotions…Anger, jealousy, lust, pride…If he became too enveloped in those emotions, then the light would weaken long enough for me to slip just a bit of my ethereal body into the deeper regions of the mind to take over the boy…It won't put me back to my full level of strength, but I can slowly work on that as time passes on…And the best of all this?"

"_No one besides me shall know about my returned existence or plan until it is far too late to stop it…So sleep well, my host, for one day you will be within the thrall of my darkness…And never again will you awake as yourself."_

**Reality's Game Extra Chapter: A Monster Freed Back Into the Universe**

**THE END!**

**Author's Notes:**

Well, now Part 3 is done and out of the way! Got to admit, I wasn't really expecting it to take as long as it did, but there were some delays that I honestly couldn't get around….

Ok fine, I was too busy playing League of Legends too an almost obsessive degree. What can I say, that game is a lot of fun! But still, I should have had Part 3 done by the beginning of the month instead of near the end. A lot of the delay, besides the whole LoL thing above, stems from the fact that unlike the many other parts both past and future…Going into this one, I didn't have all the groundwork laid out for how this Part was going to work out save for who was going to appear, what plot points are going to be setup and/or dealt with, and all the battles that were going to take place. With Part 2 especially, I had a grand idea of what most of the characters were going to say and how other characters were going to react to others actions.

Here, I will honestly admit that everything did feel pretty jumbled up until the chapter where Mew went to the M.S.I.. I feel that everything was back to normal quality-wise from that point onward, but that's for you all to decide. One thing for certain though, I'm never going to do a first-person narrative ever again after this Part…Sure, it was necessary to do so to show what the new main character in CotE was like entirely from his point of view and no one else's (Save for the end chapter, when the perspective was entirely Alex's), but at the same time I also felt limited in the story I was telling. Since it was only from one point of view, it was really hard to express how other character outside the scope of Mew's point of view were reacting to certain events. Basically, save for stories which only have perhaps one or two characters in them, I'm just going to stick with the third-person narrative from here on out.

Which brings me to the next point I want to talk about, since I'm on the subject of how weird Part 3 felt to right. The whole "Midnight Channel" use throughout most of the story. Now, you might be asking yourself "Wait, why isn't the story listed as a Persona 4/Mario crossover then?" There are two reasons for that, honestly. 1. If I listed it as a crossover, that would spoiler that elements from Persona 4 would be appearing in Part 3. Its just like why Part 2 isn't a "Mario/Kingdom Hearts" crossover, because I wanted the Realm of Darkness to be a major surprise. 2. Though Persona 4 elements are used, it only boils down to the 'Midnight Channel' and the P3/P4 Reaper being used in the story…Well, that and the "I'll Face Myself -Reincarnation-" Theme, whose link didn't appear because apparently doesn't accept URLs.

Anyways, now that that tangent is over with, I need to clarify something as far as the "Midnight Channel" usage goes. You see, since I knew Part 3 was coming up, there was still one major issue on my mind. "How am I going to explain just why the heroes are fighting against Mew?" Personally, I didn't want to go for the "Oh, Mr. Realty just uses his powers to brainwash them" route simply because I wanted for there to be some moral ambiguity in this guy in comparison to the other villains thus far, who were either straight up evil or well-intentioned extremists….Which is why Mr. Reality blew up Peach's Castle and killed thousands of people…Hmm, I think my plans got messed up somewhere around that point…Whoops…

Either way, the Midnight Channel was chosen because not only did the introduction of the heroes' Shadows make it so Mew still technically fought the heroes themselves, but it also fit in with the Part's theme about "Truth and Lies". The Shadows were the heroes' true selves, Alex lied to Mew about his identity until the truth came out, a lie ruined Mr. Reality's life while the truth of his actions gave him the clarity to set right what was once wrong, and Mew's ability to see the truth of the game's reoccurring cycle allowed him to keep fighting and be deemed worthy of the light energy reserve. Had he not seen the truth and simply gave up….Well, that's a subject for this Part's What-If story to cover.

On the subject of What-Ifs, actually, I got a good amount of stuff to mention as far as future stories go. With the posting of this Extra Chapter, my next goal in mind is to go back and deal with the What-Ifs for Part 2 and Gemini's Origin Story. I'm not going to put release dates on those, simply because with how things are going to be for me soon, I'm not certain when I'll be able to get around to them. After those are posted…Well you see, originally my plan was post Alpha's Origin Story as a part of Part 3, but seeing as Part 3 really isn't connected to Alpha like Part 2 was to Gemini I decided that "Tales of a Former Goomba" will be a separate story. I don't know how many chapters it will be as of yet, but my plan is to have the story done by the end of the year…After that, Part 4 will begin, and at the end of Alpha's tale I'll explain to you what is going to happen there, especially since…Well, things are going to be a lot different, especially if you've read the Epilogue.

Anyways, this time around I don't really have much to talk about in regards to how characters changed or what I thought about the story overall, since I covered most of that up above, so I'll just focus the remainder of this afterword answering a few questions…In no particular order, that is.

**So what the fuck is up with that ending of yours? After all the hero goes through, you make him forget everything?:**

Well ok, I'll admit that this one is just a preemptive thing for later on in case this fic ends up becoming more noticed amongst the community, cause I get the feeling the ending of this Part is going to have a lot of backlash.

Yes, I do admit it was a dick move on my part to have the ending basically be "Oh hey, Mew saved all of existence, he is going to go back to Mario's house and fulfill his promise to Dri-NO WAIT ALEX COMES IN, DIABLOS EX MACHINA, HE DOESN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING NOW AND TEMPORARILY LOST HIS LIGHT FORM AND NOW HAS A DEMON RESIDING INSIDE OF HIS MIND WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE OF IT!" Yeah, I guess I do have to admit that the ending was a bit…Eh, a forced downer moment, but from Alex's point of view he really had no clue about Mew's promises until he had already gone too far through the process and at the very least Alex will feel really, REALLY guilty about this action of his for many, many months to come.

So its not like the ending pulled everything back to the status quo, its just that it is only that way for Mew. There's a lot of consequences brought on by Alex's foolish action, and some of them won't come back to bite him or the universe at large until much later on in the story. Really, I'm not going to try and hide the fact that the Light Form is pretty much coming back right at the beginning of Part 4, but in the long run that's not something that really matters too much, I promise. As for the promises…Well…

**So what about Driad? Or Mr. Reality? What'll happen to them now that Mew has lost his memories?:**

So as you recall, Mew promised Driad that he would make it back safe and sound after defeating Mr. Reality, and at the same time he promised Mr. Reality that he would find a way to remove the Parakali parasite from his subconscious. Well, thankfully, unlike with Alex, since Mew just vanished into nothingness (To their knowledge anyways) Driad will just be confused and…Well, I'm not going to divulge into this one too much, since there will be a little subseries I plan to write detailing what happens to the protagonists in the Mushroom Kingdom after Part 3...Save for Alex, but I plan to get into that in the next question.

As for Mr. Reality, I'm not just going to forget about him…I mean, you really can't just drop a plot point about a reality bending alien with a demonic invisible parasite stuck inside of his head that can make him destroy all of reality at any given notice. But yeah, the fact that Mew won't remember the promise means that someone else is likely to take advantage of Mr. Reality's desire to remove the Parakali parasite from his subconscious in order to get him to work for them for a bit…Though I will admit, it will take a while for me to get to the point where I can write the story that continues Mr. Reality's plot line. Got to establish a proper continuity for the story beforehand, after all.

**Where is Alex going now? And what is going on with the Mushroom Kingdom?:**

Well, to answer the second question first, tragically, the Mario world and all of its characters are no longer going to have relevance in the main parts of Clash of the Elements. The basic steps have been taken to start Alex and Mew's future journeys, and they no longer need to take part in the affairs of Mario and friend's adventures since no other major evil threat is going to threaten the planet for a long, LONG time…Assumedly. But yeah, I already mentioned the side stories up above, so no need to linger on this issue for quite a while.

As for Alex…Well, we won't be seeing him for a very, very long time. Like I said in the last Part, Alex may have started things off, but he is NOT the definitive main character of Clash of the Elements. That title belongs to Mew…And again, I'd like to point out that I have seriously gone out of way to make sure that Mew is not a self-insert character despite the fact that we have the same names. Really, if anyone is even close to being a self-insert, it would be Gemini…Clarifying now, that doesn't mean that Gemini is actually a self-insert, and I really don't want to- Oh god I'm getting really off-track here now aren't I?

Oh right, Alex. Yeah, he has his own issues to deal with still, but he'll get around to conquering those later down the road. And perhaps he'll have a little help…Remember, Alpha is meant to assist him later on, and that will be covered in a later story. But that won't be his only ally in the long road…Perhaps someone related to that robed lady from the Part 1 Extra Chapter will be there to help…Hmm….Anyways, on the subject of Alpha…

**What the Hell is Alpha doing working with that bastard in the F.B.I.?!:**

So as you recall, one of the biggest reveals in this part was that Alex was taken by the F.B.I. on Earth an experimented on sadistically to have Saiyan DNA salvaged from the dead corpses of the heroes of DBZ! (Oh god if the fan base gets popular enough I'm going to get as much crap for that decision as I am for killing off all the entire Kingdom Hearts cast…) So yeah…Big what the hell hero moment as far as Alpha is concerned, especially since with how easy it was to break through their systems across worlds, you'd think the Commander would have been able to find some trace of these experiments…Or maybe he already has? Nah, that wouldn't make any sense…Either way, Alpha has an ulterior motive behind everything, but whether it will be beneficial or detrimental to himself and everyone he cares for is something that shall be discovered later on.

**Who is the Chronicler Really?:**

The Chronicler, a being that exists outside of reality and is omnipresent on all timelines, recording each person's history through every second that they exist in the multiverse without ever having to worry about his own existence, which has the full protection of the higher-ups on his side. But the question has to be asked after a few lines near the end of Part 3...Who was he when he was mortal? He said he hated having to berate Mew, which would suggest that he had a close connection to him when he was still alive…Or perhaps he assumed our young Overlord had a piece of the Overlord's spirit inside of him and hated to berate him. But there is also a matter of the fact that he was able to use the Gaia Temporis with only his voice, which as revealed in the Extra Chapter above is something that only the Overlord and his kin can use.

So is the Chronicler Alex? Mew? Someone from the original Overlord's past? Or someone that has yet to be introduced in the future? There are many theories that you could think about regarding this single enigmatic entity, but in the end only one answer shall be prove correct…I will say nothing more on the matter until the Chronicler returns.

**OMG THE MIDNIGHT CHANNEL CAN'T CORRODE AREAS, DERP DERP DERP!: **

Ok fine, the Midnight Channel didn't corrode the Nova Cesspool, it was all Mr. Reality's fault. He used his powers to corrode the area so Mew would get there faster. But hey, if you want a hand wave here, Alpha was the one who brought the issue up in the first place, and what the fuck does he know about other video game worlds anyways? So basically, he was wrong, end of discussion there. Speaking of him being wrong…No, Shattered Reality was not creating a Class Z Apocalypse. If he was, that would mean that all of the multiverse was disappearing…The destruction was contained within its own universe, and everyone else kept up the whole "all of existence is being destroyed" act so Mew wouldn't find out about the multiverse existing.

**So who is the new guy introduced in this Extra chapter?:**

He is the Dark King's second-in-command, I thought the narrative made this clear enough. But in all honesty, I don't want to divulge too much into what this guy is, how he exists, or what his name is. That's all information for later on. What I will say though, is a couple of things…First off, despite what you may be led to believe, he is NOT a Parakali Parasite, since all of those are now gone save for the one in Mr. Reality's head. Second, the guy will be a major player for pretty much the next few parts of the story. He knows a lot of the things about the universe, perhaps even a couple of things that not even the Elemental Overlord and Dark King do. But as for his motivations…Well, he has more on his mind besides chaos and mass murder. You'll just have to wait and see.

**Shadow Luigi? What the fuck…:**

Yeah, considering everything that happened in Part 2, Luigi really shouldn't have a true self to hide now should he? Well, conquering your other self and accepting it as part of you is not something that can be done right away. Hell, the main cast of Persona 4 still had lingering issues to deal with after accepting their own Shadows. Luigi has made a lot of progress, symbolized by the fact that the Shadow only took over half of his body, its just that he still has a long way to go, that's all.

**What Brought Mew to Plit in the First Chapter?:**

As you recall, at the very beginning a portal to Plit mysteriously opened up in front of Mew, which ended with him going into E. Gadd's laboratory not long afterwards. Throughout the story, this event in question is never brought up again for the most part, leaving it as a rather important yet unanswered question. So the answer to all of this? Mr. Reality did it. Back when he was on his planet and he manipulated reality to achieve an answer for his boredom, events were set in motion so the Stargadd would malfunction and open a portal for Mew to enter, even though Mr. Reality received a paper that talked about Alex Whiter, though that was to clue Reality in on the Elemental Overlord in the first place.

**What is Mr. Reality's real name?:**

Not telling you. And I'm not saying this to come off as a jerk or anything, but compared to many other things this is one of the few instances where I hadn't actually thought of an answer for a question. For one, I just feel that not every character needs to have a real name. I mean, you don't see me revealing the Elemental Overlord and the Dark King's names at all, do you? Of course, that's partially because only the two of them know each other's real names, and everyone else just refers to them by their titles out of respect.

Either way, even when I did consider giving Mr. Reality a real name, the first thing that came to mind was "Rey'Al'Ati" which while it does sound like the name an alien would have, it also would sound rather goofy considering that he was named that far before he actually got his reality bending powers. I'm trying to avoid massive, obvious coincidences, especially after I named the successor of the Dark King Joe DARK, or the inner guardian of the wind temple Fujin, even though by all means the Elemental Overlord shouldn't have had any way of knowing about the Japanese pantheon of the gods during his existence…So yeah, Mr. Reality's real name shall be an answer that is dodged around quite often during the course of the story, simple as that.

Hmmm…I guess at this point I don't really have any other questions to answer unless you the viewers want to ask any I may have forgotten, at which point I'll make a separate post for that…So until later, I'll be working on Part 2's What-If, "Confusion from Chaos".


	48. Part 4 Announcement

Hello everyone. You may be wondering right now "Hey, why is Part 1 and Part 2 getting updates when they are listed off as complete?" Well, its because my recent story only has a 125 something views compared to the other ones having between 2000-6000 each. So I figured posting this on those would be better for alerting my viewers about the next Part.

Yes, that's right, no more What-Ifs, not more side-stories (For the time being anyways, but I'll get to that in a moment), its time for me to being work on Part 4! …About half a month later then what I was expecting, but at least League of Legends isn't the reason as to why I was so late on Recollections of a Former Goomba. So yes, if you have at least looked at Part 3 you know what was mentioned and thus what is happening with a certain character. Otherwise, the vagueness in that previous sentence is to the prevent massive spoilers for the end of Part 3.…Even though the next paragraph is going to sort of spoil what happened there. Oh well, this type of thing happens on occasion.

Anyways, Part 4 is going to be the longest part yet. The reason for that is simple…The next part is going to involve a lot of interplanetary travel between different video game worlds…And yes, that does sound like Kingdom Hearts but then again its not I'm trying to write interplanetary travel off as an entirely new concept, especially considering how much fiction has evolved over the years. Still, I know what I'm doing with this concept, though its up to you to decide that depending on how much you are familiar with the video game worlds. There will be familiar characters and locations, and a couple familiar plots as well…Yes, of course there will be a main character here that is one of my OC's, which honestly means I wouldn't blame you for automatically assuming that I've lost my mind and am about to go all "Mary Sue" with all of my characters and have them take control of the plots and make everyone act OoC at every possible moments. I'll be taking careful consideration into how I write the other video game characters, and considering how most of them have more defined personalities than Mario's guys it should feel more genuine…

So, what exactly is my plan for Part 4? Well, I can't spoil all the worlds that will appear, and I DEFINITELY can't spoil the Extra Chapters and other stories that will be happening between certain worlds…The other stories specifically will be posted on FictionPress because they will be composed with entirely ORIGINAL CONTENT. Yeah, I know, didn't think I had it in me either…So anyways, without further ado let me give you a basic idea of what's going down for Part 4:

_**(Timeline)**_

Prologue (Sonic the Hedgehog World, Battle with ?) Birth of ? Legend of Zelda World Metroid World Kirby World ? Sonic the Hedgehog World Tales of ? World ? World ? Final World

So yeah, got a lot of work ahead of me as far as writing goes. I feel like this MIGHT take the whole year to complete, and please don't quote me on this one considering how terrible I've been at fulfilling times in the past. Not to mention I'm going to try and do a thing for the Mario World in between certain chapters and/or worlds. It'll be a series of side-stories compiled together under one title "Tales of Plit: (Character Name Here)". Again, don't hold me to a time limit on this one, but I plan to get at least three chapters per main character (For Example: Driad, Mario, Luigi, Gemini, etc…) And perhaps a couple more characters will get some stories afterwards if its requested…But they have to be Mario characters, they have to be alive, and they have to have appeared in CotE beforehand. So no, I'm not writing a story about Bow fighting Bonetail to the death. So yeah, with no other announcements, there is only one thing left to say…

Pay close attention to the "Sonic the Hedgehog" part of this site for in a few days it will be time for…

**CLASH OF THE ELEMENTS PART 4: TRAVELS OF THE OVERLORD**


	49. Part 3 What-If: Spiritual Memory

"_Ah, back again now are we? It really hasn't been that long since my last tale, has it? I am rather intrigued by how you observers perceive the passing of time between stories in comparison to me…Does it take you longer to come back to here a foolish man speak, or am I the one who has to wait to take notice of your gaze again? …Heh, forgive me yet again for rambling on about pointless things. After all, I don't get much company around here…Now then, what should I tell you about today…Hmm, if my visions are correct, you should have seen the past of a certain Commander and the beginning of the greatest journey an Elemental Overlord can take…But I unfortunately don't have any interesting alternate tales to give to you as far as those two go…"_

"_Hmmm…Ah yes, there is still the matter of the game Mr. Reality played with the second Elemental Overlord and the denizens of Plit, and how a few mistakes nearly led to the erasure of reality…At least, that's what those who vanished from those timelines would be led to believe…The leviathan was truly incapable of wiping out all of reality…But it was still a threat that forced the higher-ups to interfere and prevent it from occurring in a few select timelines. In the end there were only two solutions to the problem, but with many variations in regards to the events that led up to that specific meeting point…If you've followed along with the main version though, then my tale shall make more sense…It begins with a failure, just like many of my tales have and shall do, and it will eventually end with the birth of someone better…"_

__** Clash of the Elements What-If Scenario (Part 3):**

**Spiritual Memory**

The situation is dire as can be. A mistake brought on by the Elemental Overlord Mewmaster's lack of trust in the alien Mr. Reality's words has led to him being possessed by a powerful parasite that took control of his subconscious and is in the midst of bringing his deepest desire to reality…By tearing apart the very fabric of reality itself so the existence that bored the alien would be changed into one that would please him, a grave misinterpretation of the man's desires if there ever was one…But alas, the deed has been done, and with the grotesque, indescribable leviathan known as "Shattered Reality" summoning forth an avatar onto each inhabitable planet that would herald the end of their worlds and the erasure of their existences down to their very souls.

Mewmaster stood alone above the Mushroom Kingdom and Reality Citadel to combat this mighty avatar, unaware of the true creature waiting in the shadowy depths of space that would not stop its rampage even if the lowly avatar was bested, a feat that the leviathan had no reason to be concerned about considering how easily the draconic creature was dealing with the young Overlord. With even his Phoenix Form succumbing to the beast's might, Mew laid bleeding and nearly unconscious on the roof of the citadel, and though in another timeline he succeeded in convincing himself to get back on his feet and in turn awaken the Light Reserve that would prove most efficient in besting the avatar and eventually purging the leviathan long enough to restore the damage caused to reality…Things would go much differently in this timeline…

But the one called Mew is not the focus of this tale, rather it will be the original reincarnation of the Elemental Overlord himself, Alex Whiter. You see, as the battle with Mr. Reality and in turn the Reality Avatar occurred, Alex was faced with the powerful might of the Reaper of the Midnight Channel and a spiritual illusion of the reborn Dark King, Joe Dark. With his increased strength Alex was able to best the illusion, but in this timeline the Reaper was being pushed to his limits by the Elemental Overlord's relentless defiance of his role in the universe. This was something that the ghoul found downright deplorable as he widened his eyes in anger and said to the one named Whiter without a mouth for words to passing between _"You are testing my patience child…Who are you to believe that you stand a chance against a fragment of Death?!"_

Alex said nothing as he kept a stern glare in his eyes and kicked himself off the ground and flew towards the hovering Reaper with flaming blade at the ready. The ghoul took out his pistol and aimed the elongated barrel at the young Overlord's head to deliver certain death both mentally and spiritually, but as the front of the barrel glowed brightly, Alex took his fingers and pulled across the seven triggers on his blade without an incantation to prelude it and quickly was engulfed in a burst of golden flames that left him with the piercing amber eyes and majestic wings of a Phoenix. With his body now protected by the souls of the Genesis Samurai and the Inner Guardians, Alex took the supposedly game-ending bullet straight into his forehead, a green shockwave exuding from the impact zone as the Reaper's eye widens and he expresses with a raspy tone of surprise _"Impossi-"_

It was too late for him to finish his sentence, for in his brief moment of stunned silence at what Alex Whiter had accomplished the young Overlord cut him through the center of his body and with the purifying flames that spread out from his blades he glanced over his shoulder coldly and watched as the Reaper slowly began to burn apart bit by bit in agonizing pain. _"How can I die…I am part of Death, I am protected by the universe's will…I am…" _The Reaper disintegrated without much further resistance, and even Alex is a bit surprised by how quickly he bested the ghoul as he returned to his base state and swung his sword to the right of him. "What is going on around here…Something isn't right." A portal that would take the Elemental Overlord back to the Reality Citadel appeared in front of him, but before he entered it he stood there in the midst of the unnerving silence and noted in light of what just happened "Please tell me Mew didn't screw up against that reality bender…"

With a concerned gritting of his teeth, Alex rushed forward into the portal and traveled across the dimensional passageway until he swiftly emerged back at the Reality Citadel on the other side. The monochrome texture in the area had faded and was replaced with a translucent almost blinding glow in all of the surroundings, signifying that Mew had broken the grip the "Midnight Channel" had on the area. But something was definitely off in spite of the lack of monochrome, it was as if everything was beginning to tear itself apart at the seams, but thus far it hadn't effected the citadel much save for the air surrounding Alex. With this unease refusing to escape his mind, the Elemental Overlord looked towards the crest of the ramp he was on and dashed onward to try and get to where the source of the disruptions was coming from in record time…

Alex zipped through the light beam puzzle in the next room without so much as hesitating between each junction, his mind and heart accelerating at a rapid pace due to the unease in his soul as he quickly reaches the other side and kicks himself off the ground to fly up past the ladder and enter the room where Mr. Reality and Mew had confronted each other just a few minutes ago. The disruptions grew more powerful, but still nothing was shown to be affected by this sensation in the room around him. Then came an unearthly tremor from outside the shattered window to the right of where Alex stood, and the Elemental Overlord turned towards it just in time to see a gargantuan black beast take flight to the rooftops above this room.

Alex could only take a glimpse of the draconic features that the creature had, but the most important detail he took note of was the lack of connection between the creature's claws and the rest of his body. It was obvious then and there that the beast was Mr. Reality, though as of this moment the boy couldn't figure out just why the alien had taken on this new form. "Curse it all…What is going on around here?!" Alex damns his lack of knowledge with his right fist clenched in anger in front of his chest, and as he grits his teeth upon realizing just how outmatched he was against the beast considering the energy exuding from it and the effect it was having on the planet as a whole he began to feel doubt that everything was going to turn out alright. His lack of understanding about the situation did not help matters.

"Alex, what is going on around here?!" Amidst the rising anger and doubt inside of his mind, Alex heard a familiar voice calling out to him from above and looked up to face the translucent orb of light that was descending without stalling. It was the original Elemental Overlord, who has been enabled to return after originally being prevented from interfering by Mr. Reality's powers. Though he was happy to see the wise spirit returning towards him, Alex couldn't help but express bitter confusion towards the Overlord as he swung his left hand out and exclaimed in rage "You tell me! Isn't this supposed to be your citadel?!" The Elemental Overlord floated in place and took pause for a moment in order to look around the room. For a moment, he almost didn't recognize this place, though the reason for that had nothing to do with how long it had been since he had been in here…

"That damn reality bender tainted my Light Citadel with that 'Midnight Channel' dimension he brought into this world…And now the Parakali are gone, damn it, this isn't good!" As the Elemental Overlord quickly descended and re-established his spiritual link with the young Alex Whiter, the boy said in bewilderment "What are the Parakali?" "Long story short, they are parasites that infect the subconscious and amplify ones powers to accomplish their deepest desire in the most dreadful way imaginable. One of them has to have gotten into the reality bender…Which if I'm correct, likely means that beast outside is the herald of reality's destruction." Alex's eyes widened in shock as he grit his teeth slightly and looked over his shoulder as if the Overlord's spirit was behind him while saying "Are you kidding me?! Tell me there is a way to stop this!"

"…" The Elemental Overlord is silent for a moment, not just because of Alex's anger desperate anger towards him, but also because he is also surprised that his successor's first reaction to the fact that a reality destroying monstrosity lied in wait outside was to place hope in him that there was a way to stop this madness. "There is one way…If we kill the source that the Parakali is attached to, reality should not have to end. If you still had your Gaia Temporis, this job might be made a little easier…" With that last sentence acting as a reminder to Alex about the unknown state of his clone, the boy swiftly turns his head towards the window and dashes towards it upon hearing the crashing of lightning bolts outside and an ominous feeling deep in his gut.

At the very edge of the windowsill, Alex looks down at the lowest roof of this grand citadel and having now gotten within a closer vicinity of Mew's energy signature the Elemental Overlord bends his head down slightly and widens his eyes upon noticing the body of his clone. Mew was battered, his Phoenix wings bent out of alignment as blood leaked out all around from his back and front. His sword was resting against the ground on the right, while the Time Stone sat untouched by the puddle of blood to the left of him. "No way…" Alex stuttered out a response in utter disbelief of what he was witnessing. While it was true that Mew was weaker than he was, Alex had every right to assume that he would have been able to do some permanent harm to the beast before he fell…But the draconic monstrosity could be felt at its full power just by standing right where Alex currently was.

"You expect me to kill this beast when even my clone didn't manage to harm it?!" The boy exclaims to the Elemental Overlord out of panic and desperation. The original's spirit spoke not a word as it hovered behind Alex and looked down at Mew's body, noticing a strange twitch in his arms as if he was going to get back onto his feet despite the impossible odds set against him. He also caught a glimmer of light radiating from the back of the clone's head. The spirit smiled, but once again said nothing despite knowing full well what was about to happen with the young Overlord and the original's Light Reserve. Within seconds, Alex noticed the movements of his clone and regained hope as he noted with abject shock in both his agape mouth and shrunken pupils "W-What is going on down there?"

Mew got back onto his knees and slowly tried to reach out towards his sword with his quivering right hand while his left hand was placed against his chest in pain. One could not see his clenched eyelids and tearing face from afar, so no one knew just how hard he was trying to continue a pointless struggle against a beast he had no way of defeating. Watching his clone rise up from the bowels of defeat with all of might gave Alex a glimmer of hope in this situation, and in turn he felt a bit of respect towards Mew for finding bravery when he himself was panicking deep down beyond the detection of the Elemental Overlord's spirit. Clenching his fists together and trying his hardest to crack a smile for the first time in a long while, Alex had no idea as to just how quickly his hopes would be crushed…

Do you know how quickly a lightning bolt can come down from the sky? Even the sharpest of eyes can only catch its appearance for a nanosecond, and only those adept in their control of the element will be able to predict where they will fall down from. These lightning bolts, however, were derived from the chaotic energies of a possessed reality bender, and thus there was no way to know just where they would land until it was far too late to do anything to stop them. That's right…The one major thing that defined the difference between this timeline and the one you are more familiar with was a random element that couldn't have been controlled by any outside forces. As Mew prepared to stand up with the ring of light slowly spreading around his body, one bolt just happened to come down from the sky without warning and struck the young Overlord completely, and within a drawn out second of motionless, fear-struck glaring that felt like an eternity Alex saw as Mew was haphazardly wiped from existence with the only thing left behind being his sword…Which falls flat onto the ground once more beside the tear in reality that opened up where the young Overlord once stood.

It was so sudden that Alex didn't even have a chance to blink his eyelids until after the event had happened, and the boy fell to his knees while his body became completely stiff in disbelief. The backs of his hands laid against the ground, as he trembled in fear and coldly began to accept that success wasn't possible against such a behemoth. There was no way for any outside force to snap the boy out of his stupor, a cold fact that the cloaked being known as the Chronicler grimly realizes as he floated above the citadel beyond the gaze of the Elemental Overlord's spirit and began to write down the last days of history for this timeline on the books held up by his multiple tangent hands. When existence had been wiped clean, the Chronicler would remove himself from this blank timeline as the higher-ups purged it from the "Multiverse Tree" never to speak of it again, while the Chronicler would insert himself into another timeline and record the events that unfolded from the time when he had entered the prior world…

As he assumed that now would be the best time to close the book on Alex Whiter's life in this timeline, the Chronicler glanced to the right and was surprised to see the Elemental Overlord slowly rising up while his body was slightly arched forward like a zombie, and he began to head past the windowsill without any regard for the danger around him. Reality was tearing itself apart across the planet as everyone on the ground panicked, and all those echoing screams fell on deaf ears as Alex moved towards the ground where Mew's blade lies with his only thoughts being spent towards bewilderment over the fact that the very moment he comes to respect Mew for being more than just a clone of himself, especially after all that was said earlier between the two of them, the young Overlord was just wiped from existence without him even getting to directly acknowledge his respect towards him.

There was no afterlife for Mew, no Heaven or Hell for him to be in because he was wiped clean from existence down to his very soul. So in the end, Mew was wiped out with his last memories of him being that of their argument. There was no way to redeem himself in the eyes of his counterpart, no way to pat him on the shoulder and commend him for his bravery, and no way to even undo his erasure as far as the Elemental Overlord could tell. All that was left was Mew's sword, which Alex held in his shaking palms as he kneeled onto the ground and tears began to leave his eyes. "W-Why did this have to happen to you…" The boy blurbs out a tearful inquiry that would receive no answer from any faction either mortal or immortal, and as Alex bends his head down and lets the teardrops patter down onto the blade the entire planet begins to quake to forewarn the world that the end was mere minutes away from happening.

Bells began to chime from afar, counting down the seconds to doomsday as the Chronicler wrote down Alex's final acts of melancholy on the roof of the Light Citadel and thought to himself "Another timeline doomed to non-existence…It disgusts me how well I can take this by now." The Chronicler used his ghastly pen to period the last sentence in Alex's book, and with a push of his disfigured fingers he began to close it nice and slow when all of a sudden a sharp, angered presence caught his attention and a recognition of said emotions directed his attention back towards the Elemental Overlord as he felt a vibration of raw power shake through the dimensions and affect his body just a tinge. He saw an amber-golden glow radiating out from the blade that once belonged to Mew as he witnessed Alex Whiter trembling and rising up off the ground with Mew's blade grasped tightly by the handle in his right hand.

"W-What is this?" The Chronicler expresses shock for the first time in what happened to be an eternity for him as he releases his grip on the cover of Alex's book and lets it open up so history can keep being recorded as the Elemental Overlord continues to show life despite how soon it would be until it all came down around him. With his tearful eyes drying up slowly as his teeth were grit in bitter rage, Alex ignited Mew's blade with swirling crimson flames while swinging his left arm out beside himself and drawing forth his own curved amber sword from a wreath of fire, grasping that with equal strength as his body released an angered burst of red hot flames that swirled together like a vortex until it compressed into an aura around his figure.

Alex had enough with holding back his emotions, especially when he has seen far too many good people fall while the ones responsible for their demises have gone nearly unpunished. If reality was truly coming to an end, then there was no way that the boy would be able to take down the man responsible for his greatest pain in time, so he would have to make do with the closest source of his current grief, and that was the alien whose foolish game caused the senseless erasure of Mewmaster. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Widened his mouth to roar in bitter rage, Alex turned around and without hesitation he kicked against the ground and thrust through the air without straight past the stunned Chronicler, who notes in his book that it shouldn't have been possible for the Elemental Overlord as he was now to wield twice his normal level of power in this singular body of his…

Alex left behind a scar of pure rage into the skies above the Light Citadel as he zipped towards the draconic monstrosity the second it began its climatic roar. The flames seethed out of the Elemental Overlord's eyes like hellfire as he swung his swords out beside himself and through pure primal instinct he pulled the red trigger on each of his swords and felt as the heat of a thousand suns burned through his body and spread out in the form of yellowish flames that compressed into the ethereal form of a collapsing sun that shone brighter than anything the people on the planet had seen before. In fact, without even intending it, Alex blinded thousands of denizens that bothered to take even a peek at the scene unfolding in the sky.

The Elemental Overlord thrust right out of the sun with fire lashing out against his backside as his body retains a full, nova-like glow that extends beyond the length of his blades as he swung them forward in an "X" shape and charged at the beast as it finally reacted to his sudden presence. But the draconic monstrosity didn't get a chance to fight back, as after a whirling explosion of volcanic sword slashes that brings Alex hurtling through the body while carving up and disintegrating every bit of flesh in sight with the intense heat pushing out from his swords. When the boy finally pushes out from the other side of the creature, all that remains of it are a few pieces of flesh that glow brightly on the inside, and even they don't last long as Alex swings his swords out diagonally and breaks the glowing veil around him to reveal a type of translucent crimson glow surrounding a type of samurai armor that was similar to the one in his "Flame Samurai" form only with a more slick metallic appearance and orange-yellow spikes extended out from his shoulder pads. He also wielded two amber katanas that were so bright that one could say they were forged from the heart of a dying nova.

After unveiling his new form, Alex calms down slightly and uses his powers with a thought to summon forth a barrage of apocalyptic meteors that bombard the remains of the beast to ensure its destruction with concentrated explosions of brimstone and fire that doesn't extend beyond the scope of the draconic creature. All that remained after this display of brute force was the scalding ring of ash where fire crackled and smoke rose into the trembling skies. Despite how swiftly the beast was dealt with, it didn't appear to be enough to stop Armageddon from occurring on Plit. But with the heightened senses brought on by this strange new form Alex glanced up towards the deteriorating atmosphere of the planet and detected the true source of reality's slow destruction resting far out into space.

Clenching the handles of his blades while channeling all of his rage into the flames of his swords, Alex turned around and kicked off into space, caring little at the moment about the fact that Plit was being wiped from existence as he left the planet's decaying atmosphere and arrived in the cold depths of space where the culprit for reality's erasure lied across the infinite expanse in the form of a phantasmal black leviathan with multiple tendrils flailing up and down across its grotesque serpentine form. With two detached hands floating off from the rest of its body, the leviathan looks down at the incandescent miniature speck that was Alex Whiter. The being was bewildered by the fact that the Elemental Overlord wasn't erased from existence like most other things that had been in the range of his tendrils thus far. "How are you still alive?" The leviathan snarls out in disbelief at Alex, especially as it looks forward at the vanishing planet of Plit and senses that no one else is around there anymore.

Alex was silent, his eyebrows arched in anger as his glowing amber visage floated in the blank depths of space with his body now strong enough to no longer require oxygen to breathe. "Heh…" The leviathan laughs as he notices the Elemental Overlord clasp the handle of his right sword hard enough that the blade taps against the metal plates attached to his hips, and the being knows then and there that Alex was ready to battle him. "Are you truly serious child? You wish to fight me when I have already wiped much of this pathetic reality away?" Alex once again says nothing as he refuses to lift his head up to look at the leviathan, and with a bellowing chuckle that echoes across the blank black expanse it says "Have nothing to say? Such a boring being you are…Just like every other inhabitant in this vanishing universe, you are worthless to the core…"

"…What did you say?" Alex finally muttered something out as the leviathan struck a nerve in relation to the Elemental Overlord's patience, and as the serpentine force of destruction leans its head down to stare at Alex he says "You are worthless, a truth you will have to come to accept while you still have a mind capable of doing so…" The boy knew what the leviathan was truly referring to though, and the grave insult towards the lives erased by the creature's malicious interpretation of the alien's desires. As anger and pure elemental energy welled up inside of Alex's body, the entirety of space began to quake violently in the face of the boy's presence while he took both katanas and held them upwards while crossing his arms so both blades were placed on the opposite sides of where they should be and a crisp golden aura began to come into existence around his body.

"How DARE you call anyone worthless you indecent, manipulative parasite! Do you think you have the right to judge the people you erase when you are nothing without a subconscious to latch onto?! Everyone you removed from this universe had a purpose, a dream…They were strong, maybe not in strength, but in spirit…And you just wiped them all out simply to appease the boredom of a wretched alien?! You understand nothing, and I won't give you or your host a chance to do so…Nor will you wipe out anymore of this universe so long as I am in command of the full might of both myself and my equal! This is the end of you leviathan…" Alex thrusts both of his arms out beside his body and stiffens himself as the blades spin around rapidly and flames shoot out in the form of two gigantic pillars that are nearly as tall as the leviathan's head. The Elemental Overlord then waits until the triggers are even with his palms, at which point he mentally calls out to them while exclaiming "Final Trigger: APEX PHOENIX!"

All seven triggers across both swords are pulled one at a time down the line, and when all of them have perfectly synchronized together everything in the entire universe goes silent for just a fleeting moment before the leviathan's eyes are overwhelmed by a galaxy-sized eruption of scalding golden, neon flames. This nearly blinding, impossible display of raw power presses against the front of the leviathan's miniscule by comparison face, his ethereal skin melting down bit by bit as he struggles to keep his eyelids cracked open to peer at the hot white glowing figure in the middle of this flaming maelstrom of elemental energy. "W-What is this madness?!" The leviathan could not feel and thus not comprehend the immense strength of his opponent anymore, and he was barely able to see the mighty deity that was standing in the midst of this million supernova hot field of flames with his body perfectly stiffened in the same pose it was when the transformation began.

Expending most of its energy to erase the existence of the heat that was melting him down by the second, the leviathan was unable to tell just what Alex was doing in the center of this mighty blaze, and with the luminosity of the brightest star multiplied fifty times radiating around the Elemental Overlord's body the boy pulled his right arm behind himself. The mere motion of his limb pulled the entire universe towards the direction his arm had moved in, which included the leviathan himself much to the being's horror. As he was drawn in closer, his body quaked madly in fear as Alex drew on the power of every soul in his body and compressed it all together into his right fist in the form of a glowing rainbow, almost mirage-like cache of fire that is so powerful that the power of the flames expands so far out that the thin edge disintegrates a tenth of the leviathan's face.

There was no way to describe the pain that such a grotesque abomination could have been feeling at the time, nor was there any way to even mention how much fear was buried within the creature's mind as he floated helplessly in the midst of this maelstrom and watched as Alex stood in place with such force that his feet began to press against the fabric of reality itself and caused it to crack. The Elemental Overlord looked on ahead, thinking about nothing else besides the faces of every person who he had lost to this monster until he reached Mew's, whose image he brought into view as him turning towards him and giving a thumbs up with a smile that said "Alright, lets do this…" It was at that point that Alex knew he was ready to face the leviathan and end this torment once and for all. He opened his mouth, his voice echoing like that of a benevolent deity as he said in a whisper that shook the universe slightly "Apex Overlord Fist…"

The galaxy-sized burst of elemental energy that had eclipsed the leviathan's face thus turns into a glorious roaring Phoenix that bonds with its master at his command and follows him as he thrusts his radiating fist forward and charges through the entirety of the leviathan's body after puncturing through the cosmic boundaries of its mouth. Alex keeps moving forward, making not a single change away from his set path as the energy is pulled behind him through the leviathan's gut in the form of a trail of thick volatile, elemental radiation. Everything goes by so slowly for the Elemental Overlord as he travels through this near-infinite body, that the trip feels as though it lasts for an entire minute before he finally breaks through the tail of the leviathan and he stops in place at the edge of the universe with his body still retaining the blinding luminescent glow that he had in the middle of the burning maelstrom.

What felt like a minute in actuality took Alex only a second to accomplish. At first the leviathan appears to be unaffected by the attack, but then the true reality of it all comes to light as glowing cracks filled with solar energy appears all across the beast's body bit by bit, the beast's face frozen in place as its eyes have already vanished and the surface of its face slowly cracks apart. After a couple more seconds of pure silence as the noise from the rupturing body grinds to a halt, the leviathan explodes in a fantastic display of space-based pyrotechnics. There is really no way to describe this detonation as it was far beyond the scale and might of anything that had ever been seen before in this universe…The sounds of the explosion would kill any mortals that were the vicinity, let alone the flames exerted from the crest of the detonation itself…The process lasted a total of thirty seconds, but it did its job…Both the Parakali and Mr. Reality perished in the explosion, never to be seen again…And unknowingly, Alex got rid of his only chance to ever bring back to existence everyone who had been wiped out by the leviathan…

"…_**At the end of the grand battle, even though most of the universe would never be restored again, Alex's efforts did allow for 20% of the universe to survive…Unfortunately, 3% of the remaining worlds were torn apart so much by the beginning of the leviathan's erasure powers that their ecosystems have been thrown out of alignment and it will only be a matter of time before the life forms on them perish…Either normally or because the higher-ups saw fit to eliminate the worlds themselves. As for the balance of the universe, as the higher-ups surveyed the events that unfolded, they found that the timeline maintained a perfect balance between light and darkness…So in the end, they chose to keep the timeline intact.**_

_**And what of Alex? Despite how much he lost from these events, the Elemental Overlord refused to commit suicide…He chose to stay alive and defend what was left of this universe with both his blade and that of the erased Mewmaster. The Time Stone managed to survive the erasure of Plit somehow, and Alex picked that back up one random day…Vowing then and there to never let go of it so long as he lived. But with all the power the Elemental Overlord now had, the higher-ups were concerned that they would be unable to keep him from accessing other timelines on the off-chance he gets bored with the much more limited universe…**_

_**So in a strange move for them, they brought this Alex Whiter to their chambers and offered him a job…Alex would get to access the multiverse, but he would be working to stop temporal anomalies from escaping into other timelines and causing havoc to those universes. This was the higher-ups way of alleviating Alex's boredom by allowing him to see what other universes looked like while also freeing up their own efforts in regards to the timeline leaping threats that had been popping up lately so they can focus more on the prime timeline…With the job accepted, Alex would head out into the multiverse, carrying within him the 'spirit' of his equal for the rest of time as he would never again set foot in a universe that he failed to stop Mew and the rest of his friends on Plit from perishing in."…**_

**What-If 3.1: The End…?**__


	50. Fallacious Chaos

"_A child born from a broken heart_

_Was made without one of his own_

_In darkness thick and sins immense_

_The seeds of chaos were sown…"_

There was a conflict between two forces a good year or so back on the planet of Plit. The two combatants were boys of equals age as far as appearance went. For you see, the second boy, who sported a black and white appearance to act as the antithesis to the color scheme of his opponent, was a clone of the first boy that was created only an hour ago by the malicious witch Cackletta. The boy fought his good counterpart in a heated conflict after breaking away from the possession of the Dark Star, and though the child of chaos fought valiantly despite the lack of emotions he was capable of expressing…His fate was already decided, and he perished at the hands of the original…

"_A soul of empty design_

_Emotions gone without a trace_

_Not even his impending death_

_Did make his heart race…"_

The final attack of the original was launched with the intention to destroy the clone entirely, because he had a regenerative factor that made him more dangerous then expected…But for all the original tried to do, he failed to take into consideration the clone's tenacious desire to keep his "mother's" desire for a world cleansed of evil alive. Even though his body was struck in the middle of the explosion of neon flames, a part of him managed to survive the ordeal with a portion of his spirit lingering inside it in a comatose state…It was the right hand that survived, for it was the part of the body that was used to fire off the clone's own ultimate attack, and the lingering aura protected it enough against the original…

"_Forgotten by all who saw him_

_What remained stayed in the air_

_No one would find out where he was_

_Even if they tried a close-up stare…"_

Time passed across the outside world, the clone's existence forgotten by everyone but the original within a matter of weeks. The hand floated in the sky, waiting for the day when it would come back to life again to fulfill its purpose. All the while, the soul of the clone slept, cuddled up in a ball that was trapped within the limit space of his own physical hand as the days turned to months, and in time turned into a full year. The chances of the clone being brought back to life were slim to none, for in order to accomplish this task he would require a mass quantity of darkness tinted with hatred…And on a planet as pure as this one, it could take an eternity for that to happen.

"_For a child designed to purge sin_

_It was quite ironic to say_

_That it would only be because of sin_

_That he would have a chance to see another day…"_

Eventually, the emergence of a leviathan that threatened to erase all of reality brought forth all the darkness that the child would have needed to revive…But before the hand could latch onto any of the darkness that seeped outward, another force came and claimed it all for himself. It was the spirit of the original Dark King, who had picked up the darkness to revive his host body. The boy was robbed of his chance to be revived, and had to experience being out of existence for a brief period of time before returning to the cramped confines of is hand…As the clone would soon discover though, he would be rewarded for his patience…

"_In the black of night_

_When all have gone to sleep_

_Not one, but two shall rise_

_From darkness they did reap…"_

Not long after the leviathan was slain, the original Dark King made certain to revive his host body while the world slept. The one known as Joe Dark was then guided by the spirit to head off of this world and seek out a certain set of objects that would further increase his powers to combat the clone's original self…But as the Dark King left the planet, he was entirely unaware of what his darkness was doing in the skies of Plit. The darkness was absorbed by the hand, and bit by bit the flesh began to grow out from the palm to recreate the body of the clone. Everything about the clone's appearance was brought back, from the blank eyes to the black and white color scheme of his clothes and hair, and the clone could do nothing more then stare emotionlessly at his hands when he fully returned to the world of the living…

"_To be robbed of life_

_Only to return_

_Just what kind of thoughts_

_Does an emotionless being churn?"_

The clone spent little time focusing on his own revival, for with an expressionless look in his eyes he quickly remembered his purpose and decided that for now he should deal with the demise of all sinful beings on this planet, including his "evil" half that brought him to the abyss of death so long ago. As the clone readied himself to descend and deal with the populace, he caught a whiff of the darkness that was remaining from the Dark King's ascent off the planet's surface, and with a brief second of shock on his face he turned towards the starry atmosphere and thought to himself that the energy signature that the darkness seeped out from was a little too similar to his own…

"_We've met yet we haven't_

_A time before now I recall_

_One thing we share_

_Is the person who brought about our fall…"_

For one who was designed to follow one set goal, the clone surprisingly yet swiftly chose to deviate from what his mind was commanding him to do as he arched his eyebrows to show slight annoyance towards the person responsible for the energy signature, and in another small display of emotion a scowl appeared on the clone's face. The decision was made without any further conflict from his prime directive, and with a turn of his body the clone shot off towards space to follow the one know as Joe Dark to the best of his ability…In time, he would hopefully receive an answer to his question…

"_Two forces with opposite goals_

_Yet both share a hatred towards the same person_

_It won't take long for the two to meet…_

_As they continue their space excursion…"_

**Fallacious Chaos…**

**The End…?**


End file.
